Agree on security, logistic pacts
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru yesterday hailed a “golden age” in relations between the two countries following their bilateral meeting in Malacañang Palace.
Ishiba’s visit, which comes ahead of the 70th anniversary of normalized diplomatic ties in 2026, marked another milestone in what both leaders described as a partnership rooted in history and now geared toward shared strategic goals.
“Having gone through close to a century of hardships and efforts by our forefathers, I am deeply moved that Japan and the Philippines are now partners closing on alliance,” Prime Minister Ishiba said during the joint leaders’ statement.
President Marcos echoed the sentiment, noting the steady exchange of high-level visits as “hallmarks of a truly golden age in our bilateral relationship.”
Both leaders agreed to launch negotiations for an Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA), which would enhance military logistics cooperation, and confirmed the intent to explore a Security of Information Agreement.
They also reaffirmed the importance of trilateral cooperation with the United States amid regional tensions, especially in the South and East China Seas.
“I hope that our two nations can continuously communicate with each other to oppose attempts to change the status quo in the East and South China Seas by force or coercion and to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific based on the Rule of Law,” Ishiba said.
President Marcos emphasized Japan’s critical role as the Philippines’ second-largest economic partner and praised the Philippines-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (PJEPA) as a foundation for expanding trade and investment.
He called Japan’s development assistance the “gold standard” of international cooperation, citing its contributions to food security, climate resilience, digital transformation, and the peace process in Mindanao.
Prime Minister Ishiba expressed Japan’s intent to support the Philippines’ aspiration to reach upper middle-income status through investment and technical cooperation in telecommunications, infrastructure, energy, mineral resources, and disaster resilience.
Agriculture was also a key focus, with both leaders drawing on personal experience—Ishiba as a former agriculture minister and President Marcos as an advocate of rural development. The two exchanged views on strengthening collaboration in the sector to boost food security and farmer welfare.
Ahead of their talks, Ishiba met with second-generation Filipino-Japanese citizens and reflected on the countries’ shared past.
He is also scheduled to visit the Japanese war memorial in Caliraya, Laguna, a cenotaph built with Philippine assistance, underscoring a continued journey of reconciliation.
The leaders also discussed global trade dynamics, including the ripple effects of U.S.-China economic tensions on the multilateral system. Ishiba assured Mr. Marcos of Japan’s commitment to supporting Japanese firms operating in the Philippines, saying their contributions are key to economic growth.
With the Osaka-Kansai World Expo 2025 on the horizon, he invited Filipinos to attend, noting that the Philippines’ National Day will be celebrated there on June 7.
“Let us continue to build on our shared history and values,” Ishiba said in closing.
“Salamat po,” he added.
Japan and the Philippines, both close U.S. security allies, have been boosting their cooperation in recent years, as the vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific has gained importance with China intensifying its maritime activities in the region.
Asserting Beijing’s territorial claims, Chinese vessels have acted aggressively against Philippine ships near disputed shoals in the South China Sea, while repeatedly entering waters around the uninhabited Senkaku Islands controlled by Japan in the East China Sea.
In July, Tokyo and Manila signed a Reciprocal Access Agreement, which eliminated restrictions on defense personnel transfers for joint drills and disaster relief operations. The Philippines became Japan’s third RAA partner after Australia and Britain.
As for Trump’s tariffs, Japan and the Philippines are not only concerned about the negative impact of the higher U.S. levies on their exports but also of a further escalation of the trade war between the United States and China, their major trading partners.
Ishiba arrived in Manila on Tuesday after visiting Vietnam on his four-day trip through Wednesday, his third to Southeast Asia since taking office in October. He visited Laos that month and Malaysia and Indonesia in January. With Kyodo News