PH, Japan sign reciprocal access agreement

LAST Feb. 9, 2023, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (right) hosted President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at his official residence in Tokyo. —photo by Kimimasa Mayama/pool/Agence France-Presse

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines and Japan are scheduled to sign the reciprocal access agreement (RAA) in Malacañang on Monday (July 8), the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) announced.

In a statement on Sunday night, PCO said Japanese Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko and Defense Minister Kihara Minoru are likewise expected to pay a courtesy call on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

READ: Marcos, Japan PM want reciprocal access agreement done ‘ASAP’

“President Marcos will witness the signing of the Philippines-Japan RAA shortly after the joint courtesy call of Foreign Minister Kamikawa and Defense Minister Kihara,” it disclosed.

“The RAA with Japan is a commitment made at the inaugural PH-Japan Foreign and Defense Ministerial Meeting or 2+2 in April 2022,” it added.

According to PCO, the first negotiations concerning the RRA were held in Tokyo from November 29 to 30 last year.

This was followed by a reading of the RAA and two records of discussions, among others, last June 11.

“Foreign Minister Kamikawa and Defense Minister Kihara are currently in the Philippines for the 2nd Foreign and Defense Ministerial Meeting (2+2), the highest consultative mechanism to further deepen security and defense policy coordination and security cooperation between the two countries,” PCO said.

Citing reports, it added that Japan is among the country’s four strategic partners with 264 bilateral agreements.