Japan remained optimistic that the reciprocal access agreement (RAA) with the Philippines will be ratified on July 8.
Japanese government officials Itsunori Onodera, Yoshiaki Wada, and Rui Matsukawa announced during a press conference in Manila, that Japan and the Philippines will commence a 2+2 meeting next month, hoping to conclude the RAA negotiations by that time.
“During the discussion with the Ministers and also the National Security Advisor, we believed that concluding the RAA is a very important step because the RAA is the most effective for either having a further collaboration with the Philippines, and [now it’s also] [to] expedite the training with the Philippines as well,” said Onodera, former Defense Minister and now legislator.
“In the next month, the 8th of July, we will have 2+2 meetings. At that time, I hope the RAA will be ratified,” he emphasized.
The Japanese politicians declared that in the recent meeting with Philippines’ Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, they have concluded further collaboration on the security front, including the “transfer of defense equipment such as radars.”
Although they did not elaborate on the assets Japan plans to deploy in the Philippines under the agreement, Matsukawa assured that the “defense equipment cooperation, like the Japanese radar” operates efficiently. He said this is a testament to the long-term trust between Tokyo and Manila.
During the discussions, the Japanese politicians stressed the importance of the Philippines as an ally and a defense partner to Japan, citing that both countries share the “same threats, same feeling, and same fear,” especially in its maritime domains.
“The pain and agony that the Philippines is getting from China, especially in the West Philippine Sea, is what Japan has been receiving from China in the Senkaku Islands and other southwest parts of Japan,” Wada said.
“In short, we are in the same boat. Any severe incident occurring in the Indo-Pacific area will give us severe economic damage to Japan, the Philippines, and other countries as well,” he noted further.
In his statement, he affirmed that ensuring peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific remains a focal policy and expressed satisfaction in working together with the Philippines, especially in preventing incidents like the one in Ayungin Shoal from occurring again.
To do so, Japan is committed to provide necessary assets to the Philippines to protect Philippine security. “I would like to stress that during this visit, all of us have realized that Japan and the Philippines are natural best partners,” Onodera stated.
The Japanese lawmakers also expressed condemnation of China’s “abusive” actions against the Philippines in the recent incidents at Ayungin Shoal. They commended the Philippines for handling the situation calmly and diplomatically.
The Representatives agreed that China’s actions last June 17 clearly constitute “an act of piracy.”
In response to these attacks, Japan vowed to support the Philippines, especially by “providing necessary defense assets, defense training, all types of supply chain support, and any other assistance the Philippines may require.”