PH, Japan vow to deepen alliance with increased security and economic engagements

The Philippines and Japan on Thursday vowed to deepen alliance with increased security and trade engagements as Tokyo’s top diplomat warned of an “increasingly severe strategic environment” in the Indo-Pacific region.

Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Theresa Lazaro and Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi, in a meeting in Manila, also agreed to bolster cooperation with the United States, a common ally, “for the peace and stability in the region” and rejected “unilateral attempts” to change the status quo in strategic waters, where Japan and the Philippines have overlapping claims with China.

Lazaro and Motegi signed three key agreements on defense and security and development, highlighting the two countries’ commitment to strengthen their bilateral relations. Japan and the Philippines are strategic partners.

Among the agreements signed were the Acquisition and Cross Servicing Agreement (ACSA) between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Self-Defense Forces of Japan; the Exchange of Notes for the Official Security Assistance (OSA) from Japan providing 900 million Japanese yen or about P341 million for the construction of boathouses and slipways for rigid hull inflatable boats and provision of coastal radar systems.  

The two ministers also exchanged notes for Japan’s grant aid for the establishment of wireless broadband connectivity for Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi, amounting to 1.63 billion Japanese yen or about P612 million to enhance connectivity and digital access in the Sulu archipelago.

“The signing of these agreements reflect the close and evolving collaboration between the Philippines and Japan under our strengthened strategic partnership, and support ongoing collaboration across priority areas of the relationship, as we mark this year the 70th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations,” said Lazaro.

She called Japan a “vital strategic partner of the Philippines” and stressed that Manila’s ties with Tokyo “will continue to be bound by shared values of democracy, respect for the rule of law, and a commitment to peace, stability, and prosperity in our region.”

The Philippines and Japan are establishing closer security ties in reaction to China's aggressive territorial assertions in the South China Sea and a part of the waters nearest to the Philippine archipelago, called West Philippine Sea.

China and Japan are also locked in a long-running territorial dispute over the Senkaku islands, which the Chinese call Diaoyu, in the East Sea.

Motegi said the enforcement of bilateral security cooperation with the Philippines, which is “rapidly expanding in recent years,” as well as enhancing relations with the US contribute to the peace and stability of the region. 

“I am determined to deepen Japan-Philippines relations even further toward the realization of a free and open Indo-Pacific,” said Motegi.

“We concurred on continuing to oppose unilateral attempts to change status by force or coercion in the East and South China Sea.”

Motegi said he and Lazaro acknowledged the importance of the Japan-Philippines-US trilateral corporation “in the face of increasingly severe strategic environment.”

“We intend to strengthen our cooperation with the United States, our common ally, for the peace and stability in the region,” he said.

Lazaro said the Philippines and Japan are committed to the trilateral framework with the US, adding Manila is ready to host their next maritime dialogue.

“We reiterated the Philippines and Japan’s shared commitment to upholding a rules-based order governed by international law, and the importance of resolving disputes peacefully and through dialogue,” Lazaro said.

“We both recognized the value of promoting the rule of law, including the freedom of navigation and overflight, especially in the South China Sea,” she added.

On the economic front, Motegi said Japan is open to collaborating with the Philippines towards the enhancement of connectivity of its capital, including the development of railways, flood control and disaster management, and enhancing the resilience of supply chains, including those for critical minerals. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News