MANILA: The Philippines and Japan have signed a reciprocal access agreement (RAA) allowing them to deploy their forces on each other’s soil, which is seen as a turning point in their security relations amidst increased tensions in the Indo-Pacific region, an official said on Monday.
According to Garafil, the Philippine defense minister Gilberto Teodoro and Japanese foreign minister Yoko Kamikawa inked the agreement during a ceremony held in Manila where also President of the Philippines Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was present.
The deal will help countries cooperate militarily through making it easier for foreign personnel and equipment to enter into visiting force country.
“The treaty would be implemented after ratification by both countries’ legislatures,” officials stated; they added that this is Japan’s first such agreement concluded in Asia.
If Japan has military presence in the Philippines, Manila will be able to contain China’s influence over South China Sea’s region where many Southeast Asian nations’ sovereign territorial claims are crossed by Beijing expansive maritime demands.
In 2016 an international tribunal found out that China’s claims were baseless even though Beijing disputes this judgment.
Both Indonesia and Malaysia, two of Washington’s closest Asian partners, have stiffened their position against what they perceive as Chinese naval vessels’ aggressive attitude towards them; this is due historical disagreements over maritime sovereignty that date back several decades ago.
Japan does not lay claim to any part of the South China Sea but has a separate boundary dispute with China at East China Sea where they have had numerous stand-offs with each other
Last December, Tokyo announced its biggest military buildup since World War II breaking away from its post-war pacifism. Concerns about the actions of Beijing including pushing around Taiwan, freedom of navigation and trade wars have prompted Tokyo to seek closer defense cooperation with like-minded states elsewhere.”
By supporting Japan’s position on South china sea, the latter has expressed strong disapproval over Chinese activities at sea including recent incidents which resulted in damage to Philippine vessels and injuries to a Filipino sailor.
Hong kong has a Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States and Australia. Tokyo, home to the largest number of American troops abroad, also possesses reciprocal access arrangements with Australia and Britain, while talks on such a pact with France are ongoing.
The country’s first-ever project under its Official Security Assistance program is the Japanese government’s provision of coastal surveillance radars to the Philippines meant for enhancing deterrence capabilities of partner countries.
It should be remembered that Japan’s military support activities are restricted by self-imposed ban on exporting deadly weapons.
