Philippines, Japan strengthen ties as key defense agreement signed

President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr., Japan Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko and Japan Defence Minister Kihira Minoru during the ceremonial signing of the Reciprocal Access Agreement between Philippines and Japan on July 08, 2024. PHOTO BY YUMMIE DINGDING/ PPA POOL

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines and Japan fortified their commitment to further boost the two countries’ ties and partnership by “maintaining and strengthening a free and open international order based on the rule of law.”

Japanese Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko and Defense Minister Kihara Minoru paid President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. a courtesy call in the Malacañan Palace on Monday followed by the signing of a key defense agreement between the two countries.

Marcos witnessed the signing of a reciprocal access agreement (RAA) between the Philippines and Japan, which would allow each country’s troops to enter each other’s territory for joint military exercises.

READ: Philippines, Japan sign reciprocal access agreement 

“Your presence here increases our confidence in the importance that the Japanese government puts on these extremely important agreements that we have. I’m very glad that we have come to this day,” Marcos told the two Japanese officials during the meeting.

Kamikawa, for her part, noted the “concrete progress” in the cooperation between the Philippines and Japan, particularly the signing of the RAA which she tagged as a “great achievement.”

“To maintain and strengthen a free and open international order based on the rule of law, we would like to strengthen our partnership under Your Excellency’s leadership,” she told Marcos.

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The official also conveyed to Marcos Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s best wishes.

The RAA with Japan was based on a commitment made at the inaugural Foreign and Defense Ministerial Meeting between the Philippines and Japan or 2+2 in April 2022.

Meanwhile, the first negotiations concerning the RAA were held in Tokyo from November 29 to 30 last year.

With the agreement now signed, the RAA will then be submitted to the Philippine Senate and Japan’s legislature for ratification.