Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said Saturday he discussed with his Filipino counterpart a possible framework for quick advance deployment of Self-Defense Forces personnel to the Philippines in times of disaster.

Emerging from a meeting with Philippine Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin at the start of a two-day visit, Onodera told reporters in Manila that the move is one way of deepening defense cooperation between the two countries.

"We have shared the view that if we could have an advance disaster relief framework or agreement which enables our forces to be deployed in the Philippines even faster, that will be more meaningful for future field operations here," Onodera, speaking through an English interpreter, explained.