Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. speaks during a ceremony marking the start of underground drilling work for the Metro Manila Subway in the capital on Jan. 9, 2023. (Kyodo)

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will visit Japan next week for talks with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, the government said Wednesday.

The visit was announced at a time when Tokyo and Manila are arranging the deportation of four Japanese suspects believed to be behind a string of robberies across Japan.

During his five-day trip starting next Wednesday, Marcos and his wife are also expected to meet with Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said told a press conference.

Japan hopes the official visit by the Philippine president will help deepen bilateral relations, the top government spokesman said.

In early January, Macros expressed a wish to visit Tokyo, saying the Philippines is "seen as an important part of maintaining" regional security "in partnership with friends" such as Japan and other nations in the Indo-Pacific region.

Philippine Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, meanwhile, said Manila aims to resolve the issue of transferring the suspects in the high-profile criminal case as soon as possible and in time for the visit by Marcos to Japan.