The Philippines and Japan signed a Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) allowing them to station their troops on each other’s soil, an important step in their defense relationship amid growing tensions in the Indo-Pacific, a government official said. said on Monday.
Philippine Defense Minister Gilberto Teodoro and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa signed the agreement at a ceremony in Manila attended by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., presidential press secretary Cheloy Garafil said in a statement. The agreement creates a system to facilitate military support, including facilitating the deployment of foreign personnel and equipment for visiting troops.
The agreement, the first of its kind signed by Japan in Asia, will go into effect after approval by both countries’ legislatures, officials said. Japan’s military presence in the Philippines could help Manila curb China’s influence in the South China Sea, where Beijing’s naval presence rivals that of many Southeast Asian countries.
In 2016, an international court ruled that China’s accusations had no legal basis, a decision rejected by Beijing. The Philippines and Japan, two of the US’s closest Asian allies, have taken a tough line against what they see as aggressive Chinese naval actions amid a decade-long dispute over sovereignty.
Japan has no claim to the South China Sea, but there are separate maritime disputes with China in the East China Sea, where they have clashed several times. In December 2023, Japan announced its biggest military build-up since World War II, a step forward from the post-peace regime. Tokyo has sought to strengthen its defense ties with other countries due to concerns about China’s behavior, including pressure on Taiwan, freedom of navigation and trade disputes. Japan has supported the Philippines’ position in the South China Sea and expressed deep concern about China’s actions, including the recent incidents that damaged a Philippine ship and injured a Filipino sailor.
The Philippines has signed a Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States and Australia. Tokyo, which supports US military buildup overseas, has similar RAA agreements with Australia and Britain, and France is negotiating another one.
Japan has agreed to provide coastal surveillance radars to the Philippines, the first support project under its official defense assistance program aimed at strengthening partner countries’ capabilities. Japan’s military aid is limited by its own embargo on the export of lethal equipment.
