Japanese PM heads to Australia after Philippines visit

By Hader Glang

ZAMBOANGA CITY, the Philippines (AA) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe headed for Australia on Friday after visiting the southern hometown of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.

Local media reported that the premier and his wife Akie Abe had a breakfast consisting of indigenous dishes including local rice cakes and mongo soup at Duterte’s home in Davao City.

The two leaders traveled to the city in southern Mindanao island Thursday evening after Abe arrived in Manila for a two-day visit.

In Davao, they also attended a ceremony at a hotel Friday during which Abe adopted an endangered young female Philippine Eagle who he named “Sakura” -- Japanese for cherry blossom.

Since Sakura is continuing to receive treatment at a rehabilitation center in Davao for a pellet gun wound, Abe was gifted a stuffed toy Philippine Eagle and a portrait of Sakura to symbolize her adoption.

In Manila on Thursday, Abe pledged one trillion yen ($8.7 billion) to the Philippines in official development assistance and private sector investments over the next five years.

Abe is on an Asia tour of four nations -- including Australia, Vietnam and Indonesia -- aimed at strengthening security cooperation amid what Tokyo considers China’s rising maritime assertiveness.