The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said Tuesday that the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) with Japan are expected to be finalized soon.
“We’re expecting this to happen soon, but no exact timeline has been given,” AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said at a press briefing.
Japan’s legislature, the Diet, ratified the agreement last week, clearing the way for Japanese forces to join joint military drills with Filipino troops on Philippine soil.
Padilla noted that Japan had already been participating in recent military exercises like Balikatan as observers and collaborators. “We also conduct joint maritime patrols, and the RAA opens the door to deeper cooperation—similar to a visiting forces agreement,” she said.
The agreement is expected to strengthen the Philippines’ strategic partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region amid increasing regional security challenges.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “Implementing rules of defense pact with Japan out soon—AFP.”
