, 0 0 0 ▁Filip inos ▁lived ▁in ▁Japan . ▁ ▁Upon ▁the ▁withdraw al ▁of ▁most ▁American ▁troops ▁in ▁the ▁Philippines , ▁relations ▁between ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁the ▁Philippines ▁remained ▁strong ▁as ▁assured ▁by ▁US ▁President ▁Bill ▁Cl inton ▁to ▁Philipp ine ▁President ▁F idel ▁V . ▁Ram os ▁during ▁the ▁latter ' s ▁visit ▁to ▁Washington ▁on ▁ 2 1 ▁November ▁ 1 9 9 3 . ▁Like wise ▁the ▁Philippines - J apan ▁relations ▁were ▁strength ened ▁with ▁Japan ▁filling ▁the ▁gap ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁left . ▁Even ▁before ▁Ram os ▁became ▁President ▁he ▁held ▁tal ks ▁with ▁the ▁Japan ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Def ense ▁to ▁improve ▁defense ▁relations ▁as ▁Def ense ▁Secretary ▁under ▁Cor azon ▁Aqu ino ' s ▁administration . ▁ ▁During ▁a ▁meeting ▁with ▁President ▁Ram os ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 3 , ▁Japanese ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁Ki ichi ▁Mi y az awa ▁re iter ated ▁his ▁ap ology ▁for ▁his ▁country ' s ▁war ▁cr imes ▁committed ▁against ▁the ▁Philippines ▁and ▁its ▁people ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁and ▁would ▁consider ▁the ▁best ▁way ▁to ▁address ▁the ▁issue . ▁The ▁Ram os ▁administration ▁also ▁supported ▁Japan ' s ▁bid ▁to ▁become ▁a ▁permanent ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁Nations ▁Security ▁Council , ▁together ▁with ▁Germany . ▁ ▁Japan ▁also ▁became ▁the ▁top ▁don or ▁of ▁aid ▁to ▁the ▁Philippines , ▁followed ▁by ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁Germany . ▁Japan ▁also ▁contributed ▁the ▁largest ▁amount ▁of ▁international ▁aid ▁to ▁the ▁Philippines ▁after ▁the ▁later ▁suffered ▁from ▁the ▁ 1