Foreign affairs and defense chiefs of the Philippines and Japan are set to hold talks in Manila on July 8 about bilateral and defense ties of both countries.
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Enrique Manalo and Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilbert Teodoro will meet their respective Japanese counterparts, Kamikawa Yoko and Kihara Minoru.
The four ministers will convene for the 2+2 Ministerial Meeting, but will also have separate meetings to talk about issues and exchange views affecting the region.
The 2+2 Foreign and Defense Ministers Meeting is the highest consultative mechanism between the PH and JP to date, according to DFA.
It is a platform to further strengthen the decade-old Strategic Partnership of the Philippines and Japan, it added.
In April 2022, the inaugural 2+2 meeting was held in Tokyo.
The Philippines and Japan have bolstered their alliance amid China's threats in the waters.
The two countries are expected to finalize their Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) that will allow the exchange of troops and enhance interoperability of both sides to respond to crises.