A political analyst on Friday, Nov. 3, cited the importance of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s visit to the Philippines to the country’s defense system amid threats in the West Philippine Sea.

Froilan Calilung, who is also the director of the Local Government Development Institute, said Kishida’s visit to Manila, particularly to sign a defense agreement with President Marcos, is “very important particularly for geostrategic and geopolitical relations with regards to the West Philippine Sea.”

Kishida and Marcos are expected to sign a Reciprocal Access Agreement, which would allow troops of both sides’ access to respective countries.

“Mas mapapaigting nito ang ating defense, territorial defense dahil nga ang mangyayari dito ay parang—parang kahalintulad ito ng Visiting Forces Agreement, na kung saan ay magkakaroon ng deployment ng mga troops coming from Japanese military (It would boost our territorial defense because what would happen is like a Visiting Forces Agreement that would allow the deployment of troops from Japan to the Philippines),” Calilung said.

He also said there would be exchange of troops and capability and skills transfer under the agreement.

Calilung believed the move would give advantage to the country’s defense capacity to protect the West Philippine Sea from aggressive actions mainly perpetrated by China as the Philippines would have the backing of a “big and strong” country.

Kishida’s signing of RAA, the first with an ASEAN member, would encourage the countries from the 10-member bloc “to be more vocal” and “decisive” with regards to development in the South China Sea, which encompasses the West Philippine Sea.

“Alam naman natin na ang ASEAN ay medyo naki-criticize ‘no doon sa kanilang medyo soft stance particularly dito sa issue ng West Philippine Sea (We know that ASEAN is being criticized for its soft stance regarding the West Philippine Sea),” he said.

“I think iyong gagawin ng Japanese Premier ay isang maliwanag na paglalatag ng kaniyang foreign policy hindi lamang para sa bansang Pilipinas kung hindi para nga sa ASEAN (what the Japanese prime minister would do would be a clear layout of his foreign policy not only for the Philippines but for the entire ASEAN),” he added.

Calilung believed Kishida also chose the Philippines to become its RAA beneficiary, the third in the world after Australia and the UK, because of the latter’s “vocal” and “decisive” postulations against China.

“I think all of these things are actually in the right path, if we are going to look at the renewed relationship that we’re going to have with Japan,” he said. 

Meanwhile, Calilung also counted on Japan to continue the projects that were withdrawn by the Philippines because of the latter’s backing out from China’s development assistance.

It would be ideal if Japan would take over the cancelled negotiations and concessions the Philippines had with China because Japan’s own Official Development Assistance has been anchored on infrastructure, commerce and job, he said.

“So, I really believe that with China cancelling all these concessions eh talagang kayang-kayang punan ito ng bansang Hapon (could be handled by Japan),” he added.