WHEN President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. assumed office in mid-2022, he vowed not to give up a square inch of Philippine territory as a key aspect of his administration’s foreign policy amid simmering tensions with China in the West Philippine Sea
A component part of our independent foreign policy is closer cooperation with friendly countries to build a broad united front to preserve peace and stability in this part of the world.
The Philippine government’s latest move along this direction is the recent signing of a defense pact with Japan allowing our armed forces to train in each other’s territory.
The Reciprocal Access Agreement between the Philippines and Japan signed on July 8 allows the deployment of Japanese forces in the Philippines for joint military exercises, including live-fire drills.
Similarly, it allows Filipino forces to enter Japan for joint combat training as both countries face an increasingly assertive China.
The RAA, signed by Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, will take effect after ratification by their legislatures.
The defense pact with the Philippines is the first to be forged by Japan in Asia. Japan signed similar accords with Australia in 2022 and with Britain last year.
The Philippine and Japan have steadily deepened defense and security ties in recent years. Manila has forged security alliances with other countries, such as Australia and France, to bolster its military’s limited ability to defend our territorial interests in the South China Sea.
The Reciprocal Access Agreement between the Philippines and Japan is the result of seven months of negotiations between top diplomatic and defense officials of the two countries.
The Philippines and Japan began the formal round of negotiations for the RAA after Marcos and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida agreed to start official talks on a visiting forces deal in the face of Beijing’s growing aggression in the South China Sea.
The Philippines has existing visiting forces agreements with the United States and Australia, while Japan has a similar deal with the United Kingdom and Australia.
During his meeting with Kishida in Malacañang in November last year, Marcos said the RAA with Japan would help maintain peace and security in the region.
We welcome the RAA as a landmark deal between the Philippines and Japan that underscores the importance of a broad united front to counteract China’s moves to disrupt the rules-based international order in this part of the world.
