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Japan PM's visit to PH to boost security ties: expert

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Bianca Dava, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos (L) and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (R) listen to their national anthems at the prime minister" s="" official="" residence="" in="" Tokyo="" on="" February="" Yoshikazu="" Pool="" AFP="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/02/09/20230209-bbm-kishida-japan-afp-1.jpg"/><figcaption>Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos (L) and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (R) listen to their national anthems at the prime minister&#x27;s official residence in Tokyo on February 9, 2023. Yoshikazu Tsuno, Pool/AFP/file</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA — The visit of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to Manila this week is seen to iron out the details of the reciprocal access agreement (RAA).The agreement is similar to the Philippines’ Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States and the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) with Australia.Currently, only American and Australian troops were allowed to stay in the Philippines and bring in equipment and assets, often for bilateral trainings.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/31/23/palace-japan-pm-in-manila-for-official-visit-this-week">Marcos Jr., Japan PM Kishida to discuss &#x27;areas of mutual concern&#x27; in official visit</a></li></ul>In a media forum organized by the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) last month, Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff General Romeo Brawner Jr. said he hopes Manila and Tokyo will sign the RAA before the year ends.“We’re hoping that the VFA will be signed already, so that the Japanese forces can come to the country to train with us. In the same manner, we can also send our troops to Japan to train with their forces,” Brawner told reporters last October 19.“We’re hoping that by the end of the year, it will be signed so that by the start of next year, we will already have more engagements,” he added. “After the signing of the VFA, a lot of other agreements will follow.”The proposed RAA between the Philippines and Japan was on the agenda of the bilateral talks between then-AFP chief General Andres Centino and Japan Self Defense Forces chief General Koji Yamazaki held in Japan in March this year.At present, Japan has an existing RAA with Australia and the United Kingdom.<div>PH-JAPAN PARTNERSHIP </div>Despite sharing a dark history, maritime law expert Jay Batongbacal said Friday Japan sees the Philippines as an important regional ally, especially now that both countries are facing a common aggressor: China.“Feeling ko magiging mas malapit talaga ang Japan at Pilipinas pagdating sa usapin ng defense, even though ang Japan may sarili siyang limitations, bunga na rin ng Ikalawang Digmaang Pandaigdig. Natuto na rin sila as a people na hindi dapat gamitin ang giyera,&quot; Batongbacal said. &quot;Pero hindi nun ibig sabihin na hindi nila dedepensahan ang sarili nila kung may ibang bansa na magiging agresibo,” he added.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/09/23/japan-philippines-to-boost-economic-security-ties-amid-china-rise">Japan, Philippines to boost economic, security ties amid China rise</a></li></ul>“Magandang partner ang Japan ng Pilipinas sa kabila ng history natin noon, nilusob nila tayo before, pero ibang panahon iyon. Ibang sitwasyon ‘yun. Ibang gobyerno ‘yun,&quot; he said. &quot;Iba ang geopolitics noong araw. Sa ngayon, dahil sa sitwasyon, pareho tayong nakaharap ngayon sa isang napakaagresibong bansa, tama lang na magtulungan tayo para sa sarili nating interest na nagtutugma naman. Pareho rin tayong naghahanap ng mapayapang paraan para maresolve itong issue na ito. Gusto natin maging cooperative at governed by the rule of law ang ating mga relationship,” he continued.Batongbacal said Kishida’s visit will further strengthen the security relationship between Manila and Tokyo.He added that it would also be good for the Philippines to have joint patrols not just with Japan but also with other countries.“Sa tingin ko, tama lang. Hindi lang sa Japan, kundi sa ibang bansa rin na talagang mati-threaten ang kanilang interest sa South China Sea or West Philippine Sea,&quot; he said. &quot;Nakikita natin na ang ginagawa ng China, gusto nila iitsapwera ang mga kapitbahay niya dito sa karagatan na ito. Hindi malayong isipin na pagkatapos dito, mga neighbors niya, pati na rin sa labas ay tatamaan ng kanyang pagiging sakim at agresibo sa South China Sea,” Batongbacal said.“So, dapat lang na makipagtulungan tayo, hindi lang sa Japan, kundi sa ibang bansa na maaaring maapektuhan nitong pagkamkam ng China sa buong South China Sea, kasama na ang West Philippine Sea,&quot; he said. &quot;Magandang paraan iyon para ipakita natin na ang buong international community ay kakampi natin at kinakatigan natin ang international law, imbes na yumuyuko lang tayo sa lakas ng China.”<figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2637516" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

An expert said Kishida’s visit will further strengthen the security relationship between Manila and Tokyo.

Japan PM's visit to PH to boost security ties: expert

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Japan PM's visit to PH to boost security ties: expert

Bianca Dava,

ABS-CBN News

Published November 03, 2023 05:44 PM PHT

Read More:

Japan

Philippines

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida

reciprocal access agreement

defense

security

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