MANILA, December 21 ------ The future Philippine-Japanese reciprocal access agreement (RAA) would not only boost the already robust security cooperation between the two states but also help contribute to regional peace and security, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said. “As the security environment in the region is increasingly challenging, the DFA believes the RAA between the Philippines and Japan will firmly contribute towards maintaining a secure and peaceful Asia-Pacific,” DFA Secretary Enrique Manalo said in a statement. "The DFA welcomes the Senate’s concurrence with the ratification of the Philippines-Japan Reciprocal Access Agreement. This action will further strengthen our strategic partnership with Japan,” he added.
Manalo said the military access pact will serve as a “strategic framework for the Philippines to enhance its defense capabilities, promote regional stability, and bolster its position in the ongoing maritime disputes”. The RAA, he said, would also reflect a “natural progression of cooperation” between the Armed Forces and the Japan Self-Defense Force from humanitarian assistance and disaster relief activities, to other aspects of capability and capacity-building.
The RAA, signed on July 8 in Manila, outlines the provisions on entry and departure, movement, access to facilities, and professional practice of the visiting force and civilian component for cooperative activities, as well as the rules governing the jurisdiction over the actions of the Visiting Force and Civilian Component.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ratified the agreement on Nov. 5, 2024. The Senate concurred with the ratification on Monday. In a separate statement, Japanese Ambassador Endo Kazuya conveyed his “heartfelt appreciation” for the Senate’s unwavering support of the RAA. “Our countries have long stood together as strategic partners, and this milestone reaffirms our shared commitment to a peaceful, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region,” he said in a post on X.
Source: pna.gov.ph
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