Japanese Prime Minister Visits Philippines

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe this week became the first national leader to visit the Philippines since Rodrigo Duterte became president there in June. Duterte has bashed the United States and its deep ties to the islands, which were once under American control.

Abe’s visit, during which he promised billions in investment and aid to the Philippines, comes just three months after Duterte visited Japan.

Duterte has been a frequent critic of the United States, threatening to scale back joint military exercises and going so far to suggest he would kick U.S. troops stationed in the Philippines out of the country. He welcomed two Russian warships last week to the Philippine capital, Manila, calling the Russians "friends" and saying he hoped they would "come back more often.”