Aboitiz Economic Estates opens Tokyo office, strengthens commitment to Japanese firms in the Philippines [PR]

Aboitiz Economic Estates’ LIMA Estate, the largest privately owned industrial park in the Philippines.

TOKYO – Aboitiz Economic Estates, the Philippines’ leading industrial developer, opened its first overseas office in Tokyo in February, strengthening the country’s position as the preferred partner for Japanese manufacturers in Southeast Asia.

The industrial and commercial real estate arm of major Philippine conglomerate Aboitiz Group, Aboitiz Economic Estates operates four industry-anchored developments in the Philippines where it has developed productive partnerships with leading Japanese companies for over 30 years.

The developer’s flagship LIMA Estate, located in Batangas, a province south of Manila, is the largest privately owned and number one selling industrial park in the Philippines. Of the park’s locators, 40 percent are Japanese companies, including Epson Precision (Philippines), Inc., Yamaha Motor Philippines, Inc., and Japan Tobacco International.

Designer’s rendition shows Aboitiz Economic Estates’ LIMA Estate, in Batangas, a province south of Manila. LIMA Estate is the largest privately owned industrial park in the Philippines.

Aboitiz Economic Estates says that establishing an office in Tokyo strengthens its ability to support Japanese manufacturers by facilitating smoother communication and coordination between manufacturers’ headquarters in Japan and operations in the Philippines.

Kazuaki Shirozono, senior adviser for global market strategy and development for the Japan office, serves as the developer’s point of contact.

Shirozono brings experience delivering large-scale infrastructure and industrial projects across Japan and Asia to the role, based out of the office in the Japanese capital’s Chiyoda Ward. With previous leadership roles at Marubeni Corp., he has a deep understanding of how Japanese companies assess risk, governance, and long-term viability.

As well as working with existing Japanese locators, Shirozono guides new investors through market entry and site development, helping to translate on-the-ground operating realities into actionable insights for stakeholders in Japan.

Shirozono believes that the Philippines has much to offer Japanese investors and manufacturers seeking to expand their operations in Southeast Asia.

With the second-largest population in the region, the Philippines’ growing, young demographic, he says, makes the country a unique prospect, especially as population growth in neighboring countries slows.

Shirozono also points to a shift in Philippine government policy, which has typically favored export-oriented businesses, but in 2024 — through the Create More Act — began offering incentives for businesses serving the country’s emerging domestic market, driven by a new middle class and a growing GDP.

“I believe this kind of government policy will further boost the Philippine economy, which I think is the most attractive in the region right now,” he said.

Kazuaki Shirozono, Aboitiz Economic Estates’ senior adviser for global market strategy and development for the Japan office (1st from R), poses for a photo during an event with the Philippine Trade and Investment Centre in Osaka on March 9, 2026.

Recognizing that foreign locators and investors, in particular, seek greater convenience and logistical support in industrial parks, Aboitiz Economic Estates expanded its LIMA Estate — drawing on resources and expertise across the Aboitiz Group — into a pioneering model for sustainable mixed-use developments anchored by industry.

The 1,100-hectare park hosts around 200 global and domestic companies that support over 75,000 jobs. It also provides residential, commercial, and office space, including a large outdoor shopping mall, sports facilities, and a hotel.

In one of its latest initiatives offering business solutions for locators, Aboitiz Economic Estates began a landmark collaboration with Batangas State University, The National Engineering University, to establish the Philippines’ first industry-based learning campus at the LIMA Estate. 

Designer’s rendition of the planned 10-hectare Batangas State University LIMA Campus, located within LIMA Estate’s Industrial Hub.

Aboitiz Economic Estates says that the campus, which it announced in November last year, aims to be a “living classroom” where students can gain real-time exposure to industry practices. Classes are scheduled to begin at an interim campus in August.

The collaboration will also roll out programs designed to upskill and reskill employees and locators within the estate as part of efforts to advance workforce sustainability.

Shirozono stresses the importance of on-site education, which he says benefits the locators and wider industry. “I believe the campus will change the LIMA Estate and industry in the Philippines dramatically,” he said.

The collaboration reflects the broader evolution of Aboitiz Economic Estates’ parks, and the special economic zones in which they are located, from production centers to platforms for workforce development, applied research, and collaborative innovation.

At its TARI Estate, in Tarlac City, north of Manila, Aboitiz Economic Estates is developing an industrial park on the same model as the LIMA Estate. 

Development began in 2024 and is ongoing, but the 384-hectare park is already emerging as a hub for food and light manufacturing. 

Strategically located in the center of Luzon, the country’s largest island, early locators include Ajinomoto Philippines Corp., which also has a production center on the island of Cebu.

Designer’s rendition shows Aboitiz Economic Estates’ 384-hectare TARI Estate, in Tarlac, north of Manila, which is emerging as a hub for food and light manufacturing.

As Japanese companies reassess their supply chains and production footprints across Southeast Asia, Aboitiz Economic Estates believes that the LIMA and TARI estates demonstrate its role as the industry platform of choice for manufacturers seeking long-term, stable operations in the Philippines.

A dedicated presence in Tokyo, the developer says, reinforces its commitment to long-term partnerships with Japanese companies and marks a strengthening of its efforts to make the Philippines more accessible and attractive to international investors.

Aboitiz Economic Estates Japan office:

11F Kanda Square, 2-2-1 Kanda-Nishikicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo