Approval of Philippines-Japan defence deal imminent as ties solidify

The Reciprocal Access Agreement is ‘not a military’ pact but could allow Japanese forces to access existing defence bases

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Japanese troops take part in a joint military exercise with their Filipino and American counterparts in Zambales province, Philippines. Photo: AFP

Published: 8:00am, 2 Dec 2024Updated: 8:00am, 2 Dec 2024

The Philippines is close to approving a key security pact with Japan that would deepen defence cooperation between the two sides and make it easier to deploy troops to each other’s countries.

Chief of Staff of the Japan Air Self-Defence Force (JASDF) Uchikura Hiroaki met in Manila last week the Department of National Defence’s senior undersecretary Irineo Espino, who shared with him updates on the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA), which was signed in July.

Both officials agreed it was essential for the Philippine air force and JASDF to “sustain and increase bilateral cooperative activities to achieve a higher level of interoperability”.

Senate foreign relations committee chair Imee Marcos said the RAA would be “guided by regional peace and external defence”.

“In principle, [the deal] has been endorsed already to the plenary,” Marcos told reporters last Monday following a closed-door hearing on the issue.

In September, Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero pledged to speed up the ratification by year-end or in time for next year’s Balikatan military training exercises involving the Philippines and its allies.