The leaders of Japan and the Philippines agreed Tuesday on the start of discussions to pave the way for key security pacts, aiming to further strengthen their security ties with China in mind.
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. confirmed at their talks in Manila that their governments will initiate discussions on an intelligence-sharing deal, recognizing "the importance of its early conclusion," according to Japan's Foreign Ministry.
The two also agreed to enter negotiations to sign an acquisition and cross-servicing pact to simplify the process of sharing defense supplies and facilitate joint exercises.
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba (L) and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. shake hands after holding a joint press conference in Manila on April 29, 2025. (Kyodo)
Ishiba told a joint press conference with Marcos after the talks that they affirmed their opposition to "attempts to change the status quo in the East and South China seas by force or coercion," in an apparent reference to China's maritime assertiveness in the waters.
They also confirmed that their coast guards will conduct trilateral joint drills with the United States and exchanged views on the global economy, the Japanese government said, amid U.S. President Donald Trump's imposition of higher import tariffs.
"Japan and the Philippines have become partners, as close as allies," Ishiba told a joint press announcement, while Marcos said that "uninterrupted" high-level visits between the two nations over many years are "the hallmarks of a truly golden age in our bilateral relationship."
At the outset of the talks, Marcos said the meeting will "further help us in our common pursuit of peace, security and prosperity for all."
Ishiba said Japan and the Philippines share fundamental values such as the rule of law and have common challenges in the fields of security, economy and preparation for natural disasters.
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.
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba (far L) and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (far R) hold talks in Manila on April 29, 2025. (Kyodo)
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 such 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 told the press that he and Marcos held discussions "on the impact of U.S. tariff measures and China's retaliatory steps on the multilateral free trade system," adding that Japan will "listen" to the Philippines "for a better solution."
Marcos stressed that Japan is "one of the top bilateral partners that we have for trade, investment, and development cooperation," and shares "our ideals and aspirations of upholding democratic institutions and a rules-based international order."
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.
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