MANILA. Announcing a renewed push for regional security, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Tuesday that Japan and the Philippines will begin negotiations on two crucial defense agreements to strengthen their military alliance and counter aggression in contested Asian waters, an indirect but pointed message to China.
Speaking at a joint press conference with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Manila, Ishiba emphasized that both countries will “continue to fight aggression in disputed Asian waters,” referring to ongoing maritime tensions, particularly in the South China Sea and East China Sea, without directly naming China.
The two leaders also addressed broader economic issues, particularly the global ripple effects of tariff measures implemented during former U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration and China’s retaliatory actions. “The U.S. tariff measures have dealt a major blow to the economies of both Vietnam and the Philippines. In addition, there have been major impacts on Japanese companies expanding into these countries,” Ishiba said in remarks made earlier in Tokyo, before traveling to Southeast Asia.
Ishiba noted that consultations will be held with Japanese business executives in the Philippines, where many of Japan’s largest firms have substantial operations. The Prime Minister flew in from Vietnam, another country that has experienced increasing maritime tensions with China’s coast guard and suspected militia vessels in recent years.
The Philippines’ strengthened ties with Japan were reaffirmed by President Marcos, who declared: “Japan shares our ideals and aspirations of upholding democratic institutions and the rules-based international order.”
Among the agreements up for discussion is the Acquisition and Cross-servicing Agreement (ACSA), which would allow Japanese forces to receive logistical support, including fuel, food, and other supplies, while conducting joint training exercises in the Philippines. This follows a broader defense agreement signed last year between the two countries, which is still awaiting ratification by Japan’s legislature.
The second proposed pact involves the protection of highly classified defense and military information. This type of agreement would enable secure intelligence sharing, similar to the one signed between the Philippines and the United States in November 2024, which facilitates the exchange of sensitive military technologies and intelligence.
“We oppose any attempt to unilaterally change the status quo through force or coercion in the East and South China Seas,” said Ishiba. “I hope that our two countries will continue to work closely together to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific based on the rule of law.”
The Japanese Prime Minister also highlighted the importance of the trilateral alliance among Japan, the Philippines, and the United States, especially amid increasing Chinese assertiveness in the region.
While China has not immediately responded to Ishiba’s latest remarks, Beijing has long maintained sweeping territorial claims over nearly the entire South China Sea and has ramped up its coast guard and military activities in the area. This has brought it into frequent conflict with other claimants, including the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Taiwan, and Vietnam.
On Wednesday, Ishiba is scheduled to visit a Japanese war memorial in Laguna province and later board the BRP Teresa Magbanua, one of the largest patrol ships donated by Japan to the Philippine Coast Guard. The vessel has previously been involved in high-tension encounters with China’s coast guard, including an incident near the contested Sabina Shoal where the ship sustained damage.
In recent years, Japan has provided the Philippines with a dozen patrol vessels and additional defense equipment, including radars, and has committed to building at least five more patrol ships to support the country’s under-resourced military.
As regional tensions escalate, the evolving Japan-Philippines security partnership signals a clear intent to resist coercion and preserve stability in the Indo-Pacific.
