The National Security Council (NSC) lauded the Japanese National Diet’s ratification of the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA), describing it as a “defining moment” in the defense partnership between the Philippines and Japan.
Approved on Friday, the RAA allows joint military exercises, training, and humanitarian operations between the armed forces of both nations.
“The National Security Council welcomes the ratification of the Reciprocal Access Agreement by the Japanese National Diet. This is a defining moment in Philippine-Japan defense relations: timely, strategic, and grounded in shared interests,” said National Security Adviser Secretary Eduardo Año in a statement Saturday night.
Año said the agreement “gives both nations the tools to act together, credibly and effectively, at a time when the security environment in the Indo-Pacific is becoming more volatile.”
“This agreement is not about expanding influence. It is about defending principles—sovereignty, stability, and the rule of law,” he added. “It provides a clear framework for cooperation and sends an unmistakable message: The Philippines and Japan are prepared to stand together to uphold international law and a rules-based regional order.”
The agreement was signed in Tokyo in 2023, ratified by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on November 5, 2024, and by the Philippine Senate on December 16, 2024.
“Japan’s choice to pursue its first such agreement in Asia with the Philippines speaks to the deep trust between our nations and a shared understanding of what is at stake. The RAA is both a practical mechanism and a strategic signal,” Año said.
He thanked the Japanese government for its “resolve and foresight” and reaffirmed the Philippines’ commitment to fully implement the agreement and deepen cooperation with Japan to promote regional peace, security, and resilience.
