Japan ratifies defense pact with Philippines

Japan's National Diet has ratified the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA), a defense pact allowing for joint drills between Japanese and Filipino troops.

The RAA, previously approved by the Philippine Senate in December 2024, permits Filipino soldiers to enter Japan for joint combat drills and establishes procedures for cooperative activities between the Self-Defense Forces of Japan and the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

National Security Adviser Eduardo Año welcomed the ratification, calling it a defining moment in Philippine-Japan defense relations that is 'timely, strategic, and grounded in shared interests'.

He stated the RAA provides the nations with the tools to act together effectively in a volatile Indo-Pacific security environment.

AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. also welcomed the ratification, calling it a significant step for bilateral defense cooperation and regional stability.

Brawner emphasized that enabling joint operations will enhance interoperability in addressing security challenges and reinforces a mutual dedication to a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific.

The pact, signed on July 8, 2024, is the first such agreement Japan has concluded with a fellow Asian country and signifies closer security ties in response to China's assertive territorial claims.