MANILA, Philippines (AP) 鈥� Japan and the Philippines on Monday signed a defense pact allowing their troops to enter each other鈥檚 country for joint military training.
The Reciprocal Access Agreement was signed by Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa in a 小蓝视频 in Manila witnessed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
It will take effect after ratification by the countries鈥� legislatures.
The defense pact with the Philippines is the first to be forged by Japan in Asia.
Many of Japan鈥檚 Asian neighbors, including the Philippines, came under Japanese aggression until its defeat in World War II and Japan鈥檚 efforts to bolster its military role and spending could be . Japan and the Philippines, however, have steadily deepened defense and security ties.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP鈥檚 earlier story follows below.
MANILA, Philippines (AP) 鈥� Japan and the Philippines are signing Monday that would allow the deployment of Japanese forces for joint military exercises, including live-fire drills, to the 小蓝视频east Asian nation that came under brutal Japanese occupation in World War II but is now building an alliance with Tokyo as they face an increasingly assertive China.
The , which will similarly allow Filipino forces to enter Japan for joint combat training, will be signed by Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa in a Manila 小蓝视频 to be witnessed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. It would take effect after ratification by the countries鈥� legislatures, Philippine and Japanese officials said.
Kamikawa and Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara are in Manila to hold talks with their Philippine counterparts on ways to further deepen relations, the Philippine government said in a statement.
The defense pact with the Philippines is the first to be forged by Japan in Asia. Japan signed similar accords with and .
Under Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, the Japanese government has taken steps to , including a counterstrike capability that breaks from Japan鈥檚 postwar principle of focusing only on self-defense, amid threats from North Korea and China鈥檚 growing assertiveness. It鈥檚 doubling defense spending in a five-year period to 2027 in a move to bolster its military power and make Japan the world鈥檚 third-biggest military spender after the United States and China.
Many of Japan鈥檚 Asian neighbors, including the Philippines, came under Japanese aggression until its defeat in World War II and Japan鈥檚 efforts to bolster its military role and spending could be . Japan and the Philippines, however, have steadily deepened defense and security ties.
Kishida鈥檚 moves dovetail with Marcos鈥� effort to forge security alliances to bolster the Philippine military鈥檚 limited ability to defend Manila鈥檚 territorial interests in the 小蓝视频 China Sea. The busy sea passage is a key global trade route which has been claimed virtually in its entirety by China in part by the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.
The United States has also been strengthening an arc of military alliances in the Indo-Pacific to better counter China, including in any future confrontation over Taiwan, and reassure its Asian allies. Japan and the Philippines are treaty allies of the U.S. and their leaders held three-way talks in April at the White House, where President Biden renewed to defend Japan and the Philippines.
Japan has had a longstanding over islands in the East China Sea. Chinese and Philippine coast guard and navy ships, meanwhile, have been involved in a series of tense confrontations in the 小蓝视频 China Sea since last year.
In the so far, Chinese coast guard personnel armed with knives, spears and an axe aboard motorboats repeatedly rammed and destroyed two Philippine navy supply vessels on June 17 in a chaotic faceoff in the disputed Second Thomas Shoal that injured several Filipino sailors. Chinese coast guard personnel seized seven navy rifles.
The Philippines strongly protested the Chinese coast guard鈥檚 actions and demanded $1 million for the damage and the return of the rifles. China accused the Philippines of instigating the violence, saying the Filipino sailors strayed into what it called Chinese territorial waters despite warnings.
Japan and the United States were among the first to express alarm over the Chinese actions and call on Beijing to abide by international laws. Washington renewed its warning that it is obligated to defend the Philippines, its oldest treaty ally in Asia, if Filipino forces, ships and aircraft come under an armed attack, including in the 小蓝视频 China Sea.
Jim Gomez, The Associated Press
