On February 20, Ambassador Koji Haneda paid a courtesy call on Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon Tulfo-Teo. Pleased with the increasing number of travelers between Japan and the Philippines, both recognized that there is still huge potential for tourism growth, especially in regional areas. They also pledged to intensify cooperation to boost the industry. Filipino tourists to Japan quintupled over the past 5 years, contributing to the closer ties between the two countries.