Japan and Philippines Sign a Historic Defense Pact.

Japan and the Philippines signed a major defense pact on Monday, July 8, 2024, allowing the deployment of Japanese forces for joint military exercises in the Philippines. This Southeast Asian nation, once occupied by Japan during World War II, is now strengthening its alliance with Tokyo in response to an increasingly assertive China. Japan can now deploy its forces to the Philippines under the Reciprocal Access Agreement.
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Japan can now deploy its forces to the Philippines under the Reciprocal Access Agreement. (Picture source: US DoD)

The Reciprocal Access Agreement, which also permits Filipino forces to enter Japan for joint combat training, was signed by Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa during a ceremony in Manila attended by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The pact will take effect after ratification by the legislatures of both countries, according to Philippine and Japanese officials.

This defense agreement with the Philippines, which includes live-fire drills, is Japan's first of its kind signed in Asia. Japan previously signed similar agreements with Australia in 2022 and the United Kingdom in 2023.

Under the leadership of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Japan has strengthened its security and defense capabilities, including developing a counterstrike capability, marking a departure from the country's postwar policy of focusing solely on self-defense. Japan is doubling its defense budget over five years ending in 2027, aiming to become the world's third-largest military spender after the United States and China.

Kishida's initiatives align with President Marcos' efforts to create security alliances that bolster the limited capacity of the Philippine military to defend its territorial claims in the South China Sea.

The United States has also strengthened a network of military alliances in the Indo-Pacific region to counter China and reassure its Asian allies, particularly in the context of a potential future conflict over Taiwan. Japan and the Philippines are both treaty allies of the U.S., and their leaders participated in trilateral talks at the White House in April. During these discussions, President Joe Biden reaffirmed Washington's "ironclad" commitment to defend Japan and the Philippines.

Japan has a longstanding territorial dispute with China over islands in the East China Sea. Meanwhile, Chinese and Philippine coast guard and navy vessels have been involved in several tense encounters in the South China Sea over the past year.

Japan and the United States were among the first to express concerns about China's actions, calling Beijing to adhere to international laws. The U.S. is obligated to defend the Philippines, its oldest treaty ally in Asia, if Filipino forces, ships, or aircraft are attacked, including in the South China Sea.