Japan, Philippines cooperate in fighting drug crime

Katsuyuki Kawai, a special adviser to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (Source: VNA)

Tokyo (VNA) - The Japanese Government sent a delegation to the Philippines to conduct a five-day study, beginning December 12, on cooperating with the anti-illegal drugs campaign of President Rodrigo Duterte.

According to Kyodo News, the 15-member mission includes officials from Japan's Foreign Ministry; National Police Agency;  Ministry of Justice; Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare; and the Japan International Cooperation Agency and the Japanese Embassy in Manila.

Special adviser to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Katsuyuki Kawai, who led the delegation, said Shinzo Abe and Rodrigo Duterte highlighted the importance of connections between the two nations in combating drugs during their meeting in Tokyo on October this year.

The delegation will meet with Philippine government agencies in Manila and Davao city, said representatives from the embassy. 

According to statistics from the Philippines’s national police, over 3,300 people suspected of involvement with illegal drug trafficking and use have been killed by authorities since President Rodrigo Duterte assumed power on June 30.

The national police carried out nearly 19,000 campaigns against illegal drug trade and arrested over 18,000 suspects. Nearly 900,000 others gave themselves up to police.-VNA

VNA