Philippines eyes finalizing military agreement with Japan soon
The Philippines aims to expedite negotiations with Japan to establish a reciprocal access agreement that would allow the deployment of military forces on each other's soil, according to the Philippine defense secretary.
Both countries have agreed to pursue such an agreement, given the commitment of the Japanese and Philippine governments to uphold the rules-based international order and international law, according to a report from Reuters.
Once an agreement is reached, it will need to be ratified by the Philippine Senate and the Japanese legislature. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida emphasized cooperation with the Philippines and the United States in protecting the freedom of the South China Sea during his visit.
The United States has allocated $100 million for infrastructure improvements at military bases in the Philippines as part of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement.
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro stressed that the Philippines is not seeking conflict in the region.
