Camille Naredo

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos pose for the photos with Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru and his spouse Ishiba Yoshiko at the Malacañang Palace Reception Hall on Wednesday April 29, 2025. Yummie Dingding, PPA Pool

President Marcos and Japan’s Prime Minister Ishiba raise a toast during the state banquet at Malacañang Palace on April 29, 2025.  Yummie Dingding / PPA Pool

Article (news)

PH-JAPAN

Paige Javier

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/174600326501920250429-marcos-ishiba-malacanang-PPA.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos pose for the photos with Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru and his spouse Ishiba Yoshiko at the Malacañang Palace Reception Hall on Wednesday April 29, 2025. Yummie Dingding, PPA Pool"/>President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos pose for the photos with Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru and his spouse Ishiba Yoshiko at the Malacañang Palace Reception Hall on Wednesday April 29, 2025. Yummie Dingding, PPA Pool</div>MANILA – As the two-day visit of Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru in the Philippines wraps up on Wednesday, security has emerged as the top priority between the two countries.   Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan Spokesperson Kitamura Toshihiro said they would like to broaden security cooperation with Manila. Ishiba and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had a bilateral meeting on Tuesday where they discussed security, defense and economic cooperation. &quot;Security is one of the top priorities between the two countries. Yesterday they decided to start the negotiations on ACSA – acquisition and cross-servicing agreement. And they also decided to have the discussion between two governments for the possible conclusion of the information security agreement. So based on those, of course, as you may know, we have a lot of cooperation in the field of security between two forces,&quot; Kitamura told ABS-CBN News.  <div><a class="fr-green" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/4/29/japan-to-boost-economic-packages-to-help-ph-achieve-upper-middle-income-status-ishiba-2251">Japan to boost economic packages to help PH achieve upper middle income status: Ishiba </a></div>&quot;We&#x27;d like to broaden this cooperation in the future so that both countries are facing a quite severe situation in the region. So security cooperation between two countries is quite important,&quot; he said.  The Japanese official cited their dispatch of maritime Self-Defense Forces to the Philippines and their participation in the joint exercises of the United States and Manila.   ACSA meanwhile refers to the framework of provision of supplies and services between the Self-Defense Forces of Japan and the Armed Forces of the Philippines. &quot;That will facilitate also the exchange between two countries in the field of security. So we hope that the discussion will go smoothly, and we hope that the further cooperation between two countries, especially between two forces of the two countries,&quot; he said.  The Japanese official said the two countries have also agreed to conclude the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA), following its submission to the National Diet of Japan or its legislative body. &quot;I cannot anticipate the conclusion of the Diet discussion, but we hope that that agreement will be adopted formally by the Diet. So after that, this RAA, the areas of cooperation might be expanded drastically because that facilitates for example, joint exercise, mutual visit of the forces in two countries. So I think that with RAA, we can broaden the areas of cooperation between two countries,&quot; Kitamura explained.  <div><a class="fr-green" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/4/29/ph-japan-start-intel-sharing-talks-to-oppose-attempts-to-change-status-quo-in-intl-waters-2241">PH, Japan start intel sharing talks to ‘oppose attempts to change status quo’ in int&#x27;l waters</a> </div>Ishiba likewise confirmed the start of the government-to-government discussion on the possible conclusion of the security information agreement in the future. &quot;Based on those agreements or legal arrangements, we expect the further cooperation on the ground. So that will facilitate the interoperability between two forces and operational capabilities, operational cooperation should be accelerated through those legal arrangements,&quot; Kitamura said.  The Japanese official did not comment on a specific case in the region, but stressed that Manila and Tokyo are united to oppose attempt to &quot;change the status quo&quot; in the East and South China Seas. &quot;Since we are facing this situation. And we agreed upon, we have, we shared a common position that unilateral action, unilateral attempt to change, unilaterally change the status quo by force, by coercion, should be allowed in the region, not only in this region but also anywhere in the world. So we have close discussions and close cooperation in this regard and our leaders have also addressed this issue during the meeting yesterday,&quot; Kitamura said. &quot;We would like to deepen the dialogue between two authorities of two countries in order to share the recognition of the situation surrounding our countries, and also we&#x27;d like to explore the possibility of cooperation between two countries in the field of security,&quot; he added. Aside from security, cooperation on the economy and disaster preparedness were also among the priorities in talks between Ishiba and Marcos Jr.   <div><a class="fr-green" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/4/29/japans-ishiba-arrives-in-malacanang-for-defense-talks-with-marcos-1804" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Japan&#x27;s Ishiba arrives in Malacañang for defense talks with Marcos Jr. </a> </div>During his visit, the Japanese Prime Minister went to the Japanese Memorial Garden in Caliraya, Laguna to offer flowers and mourn the Japanese war dead. Ishiba was welcomed by Philippine Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan in his visit to its headquarters in Manila.

As the two-day visit of Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru in the Philippines wraps up on Wednesday, security emerged as the top priority between the two countries.

As the two-day visit of Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru in the Philippines wraps up on Wednesday, security emerged as the top priority between the two countries.

Japan seeks to broaden security cooperation with PH amid 'severe' situation in region

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Japan seeks to broaden security cooperation with PH amid 'severe' situation in region

Paige Javier,

ABS-CBN News

Published Apr 30, 2025 04:55 PM PHT

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Japan

Ishiba Shigeru

Philippines

Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Security

Defense

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