MANILA – Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba met with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on April 29, marking a significant step forward in deepening defense and economic collaboration between the two U.S.-aligned Asian nations.
Ishiba’s two-day visit, his first since taking office in 2024, comes as Tokyo and Manila grow increasingly aligned on regional security issues, particularly concerns over China’s rising assertiveness in the South China Sea and broader Indo-Pacific tensions. His arrival at Malacañang Palace was met with military honours and a warm welcome from a senior Cabinet official.
The two leaders were expected to advance their “Strengthened Strategic Partnership,” with discussions centered on Japan’s security assistance to the Philippines and a milestone military agreement known as the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA). Once ratified by Japan’s legislature, the pact will enable smoother deployment of troops and equipment for joint training, disaster response, and defense cooperation—a first-of-its-kind agreement for Japan in Asia.
Talks also aimed to reaffirm the two countries’ commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific and to uphold international law, echoing statements from the Japanese embassy in Manila and an op-ed penned by Ishiba in The Philippine Daily Inquirer.
“In a time of growing global division, the partnership between Japan and the Philippines is critical for ensuring peace and stability in the region,” Ishiba wrote.
Both nations have voiced firm opposition to Beijing’s maritime actions in the South China Sea. While Japan has no territorial claims there, it remains locked in a separate dispute with China in the East China Sea. Meanwhile, the Philippines faces mounting pressure in its own exclusive economic zone, where Chinese coast guard ships have repeatedly challenged its sovereignty.
Ishiba’s visit also aligns with joint military drills involving Japanese, Philippine, and American forces—a demonstration of trilateral military cooperation as tensions persist over Taiwan and regional security dynamics evolve.
Japan, which last year undertook its largest military expansion since World War II, has been stepping away from its pacifist posture to confront shared security concerns with its allies, including the United States.
“As the regional security environment becomes more challenging, our mutual alliance with the U.S. grows ever more vital,” Ishiba noted in his article.