MANILA. Top defense and foreign affairs officials from Japan and the Philippines are set to meet in Manila next month to bolster strategic ties and address regional security concerns, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs announced on Friday. This meeting comes at a growing alarm over China’s actions in the disputed South China Sea.
Scheduled for July 8, the talks will include Japanese Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko and Defense Minister Kihara Minoru, who will meet with their Philippine counterparts. While the specific agenda details were not disclosed, officials from both countries, speaking anonymously due to lack of authorization to discuss the issue publicly, confirmed that efforts are underway to finalize a key defense pact, potentially to be signed during the meetings.
The proposed defense pact follows an agreement made last year during Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s visit to Manila, where he and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos agreed to initiate negotiations on a reciprocal access agreement. This agreement would allow Japanese and Filipino troops to enter each other’s territory for joint military exercises and enhanced defense cooperation. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to strengthen alliances in response to China’s increasing assertiveness in the region.
President Marcos emphasized the significance of the defense pact, stating last year that it would be beneficial “both to our defense and military personnel and to maintaining peace and stability in our region.” During his visit, Prime Minister Kishida announced that Japan would provide the Philippines with a coastal surveillance radar through a grant, marking the Philippines as the first Southeast Asian nation to benefit from Japan’s newly launched security assistance program for allied militaries.
In addition to the radar, Japan will supply the Philippines with patrol vessels, defense equipment, and more radars to enhance the country’s maritime law enforcement capabilities. Over the years, Japan has delivered a dozen patrol ships to the Philippines, which are now largely used to protect its territorial interests in the contested South China Sea.
Japan itself is engaged in a longstanding territorial dispute with China over islands in the East China Sea. Meanwhile, Chinese and Philippine coast guard and navy ships have faced numerous tense confrontations in the South China Sea, a critical global trade route. The most severe incident occurred last week when Chinese Coast Guard personnel armed with knives, spears, and an axe repeatedly rammed and destroyed two Philippine Navy supply vessels at the disputed Second Thomas Shoal, injuring several Filipino sailors and seizing at least seven Philippine Navy rifles.
The Philippines strongly condemned the Chinese coast guard’s actions, demanding reparations for the damage and the return of the rifles. In response, China accused the Philippines of provoking the violence, claiming that Filipino sailors had entered Chinese territorial waters despite warnings.
Japan, alongside the United States and other allied nations, expressed serious concern over China’s aggressive actions. “Japan reiterates serious concern over repeated actions which obstruct freedom of navigation and increase regional tensions, including recent dangerous actions that resulted in damage to the Filipino vessel and injuries to Filipinos onboard,” stated Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs following the incident.
Washington renewed its commitment to defend the Philippines, its oldest treaty ally in Asia, if Filipino forces, ships, or aircraft come under armed attack, including in the South China Sea.
Despite the severity of the recent confrontation, Philippine officials, including President Marcos, stated that the Chinese assault, captured on video and in photographs released by the Manila government, was “illegal” and “deliberate” but did not constitute an armed attack that would trigger the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty with the U.S.
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