TOKYO, Feb 1 (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.