Japan and the Philippines are aiming to take security ties to fresh highs, with the countries' leaders agreeing to launch talks on both a military intelligence-sharing pact and a deal to allow their armed forces to share fuel, food and services.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced the start of negotiations alongside Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday evening, following a meeting at the presidential palace in Manila.
The prime minister was on a two-day trip to the Philippines after meeting Vietnamese leaders in Hanoi, part of Tokyo’s stepped-up charm offensive in Southeast Asia to both mitigate growing economic uncertainty triggered by U.S. tariffs and deepen security partnerships amid heightened tensions in the region.
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