Foreign and defense ministers of Japan on Monday, July 8, described as a significant milestone the signing of the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) between Tokyo and Manila, a pact that would allow the joint exercises and improve interoperability between troops of both nations.

Japanese Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko and Japanese Defense Minister Kihara Minoru paid a courtesy call on President Marcos, who witnessed the signing of the pact, at the Malacañang Palace.

Kamikawa said the current development showed the "concrete progress" that the two nations made in a wide range of areas of cooperation.

Meanwhile, Kihara said Japan and the Philippines "have made great strides in defense cooperation and exchanges."

"The fact that we are able to sign the RAA today is a great achievement," Kamikawa said, noting that Marcos and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida already greenlighted the agreement less than a year since its negotiations.

"The [signing] of the Reciprocal Access Agreement today represents the cooperative relations that the two nations enjoy, and I welcome this new development, which reinforces the effectiveness of our defense cooperation," Kihara said.

The Japan-Philippines RAA is a pact establishing procedures for the cooperative activities conducted by the forces of both sides while one side is visiting the other, the Japanese Embassy in Manila said.

The Philippines is the third country with which Japan signed the RAA, after Australia and the United Kingdom.

The signing is expected to facilitate the implementation of cooperative activities, such as joint exercises and disaster relief, between Japan and the Philippines and improve interoperability between the forces of the two countries.

"As the security environment in the region becomes increasingly severe, the signing of this important security-related agreement with the Philippines, a strategic partner located at a strategic juncture on the sea lanes and sharing fundamental values and principles with Japan, will further promote security and defense cooperation between the two countries and firmly support peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region," the embassy said.

The Japanese diplomat said Tokyo is committed to maintain and strengthen a free and open international order based on the rule of law.

Meanwhile, the Japanese defense chief said he is committed to work with his Filipino counterpart, Gibo Teodoro, to further enhance cooperation between the two countries for a free and open Indo-Pacific region.