Philippines, Japan start talks on info security pact

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May 29, 2025 | 4:39pm

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines and Japan have started exploring a potential security agreement that will allow both nations to share classified information with each other.

During a meeting on Wednesday, May 28, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo and his Japanese counterpart Takeshi Iwaya commended the start of discussions on "the possibility of concluding a future Agreement on the Security of Information" — a deal that Tokyo has struck with the United States, United Kingdom, Germany and Ukraine, among others.

Manalo is in Japan for a two-day visit and on Wednesday met the Japanese foreign minister, where they touched on a broad range of security, defense and economic matters.

The meeting also saw both parties welcome the "start of negotiation on the Japan-Philippines Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement," which would allow their armed forces to share supplies and services during joint training and operations.

'Near-alliance status'

During their talks, Iwaya noted how the partnership between Manila and Tokyo has reached a "near-alliance" status, according to a Japanese embassy statement on Thursday, May 29.

Manalo and Iwaya's meeting on Wednesday builds on earlier talks between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba when the latter visited the Philippines in April.

"Minister Iwaya stated that through the Japan-Philippines Summit Meeting in April this year, Japan has been able to further strengthen its relations with the Philippines, a 'neighbor' connected by the sea," the statement read.

The Japanese foreign minister also "commended the close bilateral relations that allow for this Foreign Ministers' Meeting to be held shortly after the Summit Meeting."

Both "held in-depth discussions on further strengthening the foundation for security and defense cooperation, based on last month's Summit Meeting." 

They also welcomed the "steady progress" toward the Japan-Philippines Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA), which has been ratified by the Philippine Senate but is currently pending in Japan's legislature. 

The RAA is a security pact between Manila and Tokyo that permits both countries to send their military forces to each other's soil. It is Japan's first defense agreement of this kind with a Southeast Asian nation.

Manalo and his Japanese counterpart agreed to hold maritime consultations and a vice-ministerial strategic dialogue this year to advance cooperation in maritime security — a key concern given ongoing tensions in the South China Sea.  

Iwaya also expressed Japan's commitment to expanding its Official Security Assistance program to help build the Philippines' defense capabilities, while Manalo expressed gratitude for Japan's ongoing support.

The Philippines is one of Japan's first recipients of its OSA, which it launched in 2023.

Both parties also reaffirmed the importance of coordinating with the United States and other allied countries in addressing regional challenges, and agreed to continue deepening Japan-Philippines cooperation as well as the trilateral Japan-Philippines-US cooperation.

The talks also touched on regional challenges, including tensions in the East and South China Seas, the situation in Myanmar, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and North Korea's nuclear and missile programs.