Photo: The Manila Times (2026 Philippines-Japan Friendship Year commemorative logo)
Philippines-Japan Friendship Month 2026: 70th Anniversary Cultural Programme
Presented by Embassy of Japan in the Philippines and the Japan Foundation, Manila
- When
- July 2026 (Friendship Month; activities extend into August), Varies by event
- Where
- Multiple Metro Manila venues; Japan Foundation Manila, 23/F Pacific Star Building, Sen. Gil Puyat Ave. cor. Makati Ave., Makati
- Who it's for
- For film lovers and anyone curious about Japanese culture, with free subtitled screenings at Eiga Sai plus exhibitions, talks and workshops across July; the early-July film leg at Shangri-La Plaza in Ortigas is an easy after-work stop and a comfortable outing with visiting family. Ortigas is reachable from most of the metro, though save the trip for a free evening if you are coming from the far south.
- Good to know
- Free and subtitled in English for the film screenings. The programme spans many venues and dates through July into August, so check the Embassy of Japan's 70th-anniversary calendar before planning a particular night.
About this event
July is Philippines-Japan Friendship Month, marking the 1956 normalisation of diplomatic relations, and 2026 adds the weight of the 70th-anniversary Friendship Year under the theme "Weaving the Future Together: Peace, Prosperity, Possibilities." The Embassy of Japan and the Japan Foundation Manila stage a season of exhibitions, lectures, performances and language workshops, alongside Eiga Sai, the long-running Japanese film festival whose Manila leg runs at the Shangri-La Plaza Cineplex in early July before travelling to Cebu and the UP Film Institute through August. Screenings are free and subtitled in English, which makes the festival an easy after-work stop and a comfortable outing with visiting family. Specific dated events are published on the Embassy's 70th-anniversary calendar through the season, so check it before planning a particular night.
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