▁ 1 7 th ▁centuries , ▁thousands ▁of ▁Japanese ▁trad ers ▁also ▁migr ated ▁to ▁the ▁Philippines ▁and ▁assim il ated ▁into ▁the ▁local ▁population . ▁ ▁Philippines ▁and ▁the ▁Empire ▁of ▁Japan ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁ 1 8 9 6 ▁u pr ising ▁against ▁Spanish ▁colonial ▁rule ▁the ▁ 1 8 9 8 ▁Spanish – American ▁War , ▁some ▁Filip ino ▁ins urg ents ▁( es pecially ▁the ▁Kat ip un an ) ▁sought ▁ ▁assistance ▁from ▁the ▁Japanese ▁government . ▁The ▁Kat ip un an ▁sent ▁a ▁delegate ▁to ▁the ▁Emperor ▁of ▁Japan ▁to ▁solic it ▁funds ▁and ▁military ▁arms ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 8 9 6 . ▁The ▁Me iji ▁government ▁of ▁Japan ▁was ▁unw illing ▁and ▁unable ▁to ▁provide ▁any ▁official ▁support . ▁However , ▁Japanese ▁supp or ters ▁of ▁Philipp ine ▁independence ▁in ▁the ▁Pan - As ian ▁movement ▁raised ▁funds ▁and ▁sent ▁weapons ▁on ▁the ▁priv ately ▁chart ed ▁N un ob iki ▁Mar u , ▁which ▁s ank ▁before ▁reaching ▁its ▁destination . ▁However , ▁the ▁Japanese ▁government ▁officially ▁acqu ies ced ▁to ▁American ▁colonial ▁rule ▁over ▁the ▁Philippines , ▁as ▁rat ified ▁by ▁the ▁T aft – K ats ura ▁Ag re ement ▁of ▁ 1 9 0 5 . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁American ▁period , ▁Japanese ▁economic ▁t ies ▁to ▁the ▁Philippines ▁expanded ▁trem end ously ▁and ▁by ▁ 1 9 2 9 ▁Japan ▁was ▁the ▁largest ▁trad ing ▁partner ▁to ▁the ▁Philippines ▁after ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁Econom ic ▁invest ment ▁was ▁accompanied