Japan and the Philippines have taken a significant step towards deepening their defense cooperation, signing a key pact that will allow the deployment of Japanese forces for joint military exercises, including live-fire drills, in the Southeast Asian nation. The Reciprocal Access Agreement, signed by Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, also allows Filipino forces to enter Japan for joint combat training. The agreement, witnessed by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., will take effect after ratification by the countries’ legislatures.
The defense pact represents a crucial development in the strategic relationship between Japan and the Philippines, both of whom are facing growing security concerns in the face of China’s increasingly assertive actions in the region. The pact comes at a time when Japan has been bolstering its own military capabilities, including developing a counterstrike capability, in response to threats from North Korea and China.
The agreement with the Philippines is the first of its kind for Japan in Asia, following similar accords signed with Australia in 2022 and Britain last year. Japan’s efforts to strengthen its military role and spending have been met with sensitivity from some of its Asian neighbors, who were subject to Japanese aggression during World War II. However, Japan and the Philippines have been steadily deepening their defense and security ties in recent years.
The pact aligns with Philippine President Marcos Jr.’s push to forge security alliances to bolster the Philippine military’s ability to defend Manila’s territorial interests in the South China Sea. China claims virtually the entire South China Sea, a key global trade route, despite contested claims from the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan. The United States has been strengthening its military alliances in the Indo-Pacific region to counter China’s growing influence and reassure its Asian allies.
The United States, a treaty ally of both Japan and the Philippines, has also been playing a key role in strengthening regional security. In April, leaders of the three countries held talks at the White House, where President Biden reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to defend Japan and the Philippines. Tensions have been escalating in the South China Sea, with Chinese and Philippine coast guard and navy ships engaging in confrontations. In June, Chinese coast guard personnel rammed and destroyed two Philippine navy supply vessels, injuring several Filipino sailors. China accused the Philippines of instigating the violence, while the Philippines protested the incident and demanded compensation for the damage. The United States and Japan were among the first to express concern over the incident, calling on China to adhere to international law. The United States has reiterated its commitment to defending the Philippines, its oldest treaty ally in Asia, against any armed attack, including in the South China Sea.
