Things are looking up, with the planned reciprocal access agreement or RAA between the Philippines and Japan which President Ferdinand Marcos
Jr. said would benefit both countries.
The plan surfaced during the recent visit
of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida who expressed serious concerns about the situation in the
East China Sea and the South China Sea.
The 66-year-old Japanese head of government underlined that any attempt to unilaterally
change the status quo by force in both areas was unacceptable.
President Marcos himself said the RAA would
benefit both the defense and military personnel of Manila and Tokyo and contribute to maintaining peace
and stability.
The two leaders agreed to start negotiations
for a key defense pact that would allow their troops to
enter each other’s territory for joint military exercises,
a move considered part of efforts to strengthen their
alliance in face of China’s agitating aggressiveness in
the region.
Last weekend, Kishida became the first Japanese head of government to address a joint session of
the Philippine congress, underlining how the Asian nations’ ties have transformed into what he called “Golden
Age”since Japan’s brutal occupation of the Philippines in
World War II.
Congressional leaders were hopeful the Philippines’ planned reciprocal access agreement with Japan
will be implemented smoothly.
Kishida, during his two-day visit, also announced after holding talks with Mr. Marcos a coastal
surveillance radar would be given to the Philippines
through a grant, making the Philippines the first beneficiary of a newly launched Japanese security assistance
program for allied militaries in the region.
Additional Japanese patrol vessels, defense
equipment and radars would be provided to strengthen
the Philippines’ law enforcement capability at sea, Kishida said.
Japan has supplied a dozen patrol ships in recent years to the Philippines, now largely used by Manila
to defend its territorial interest in the disputed South China Sea.
National Security Adviser Eduardo Año himself said the RAA will greatly boost the military cooperation between the two nations, aside from improving
regional security.
“The proposed RAA will facilitate the procedures and set guidelines when Philippine forces visit
Japan for training and joint exercises, and vice versa,”
he added in a statement Sunday.
Año added the ongoing trilateral cooperation
among Japan, the Philippines and the United States is
crucial in safeguarding the freedom of the seas in the
West Philippine Sea and promoting international law.
“Japan’s support in the form of equipment,
technology cooperation, and patrol vessels will further
enhance our maritime law enforcement capabilities,”
he noted.
Like our security authorities, we look forward
to the negotiations and implementation of these agreements and initiatives which doubtless would strengthen
partnership and contribute to a more stable Indo-Pacific region.
