Japan and the Philippines are set to intensify joint military activities after a bilateral visiting-forces agreement entered into force on Thursday — a move that could potentially also pave the way for rotational deployments by Self-Defense Force personnel to the Southeast Asian country.
Known as a Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA), the pact will serve as the legal basis for Japanese and Philippine forces operating in each other’s countries, laying the groundwork for greater military cooperation amid escalating tensions between the two partners and Beijing in the disputed East and South China Seas.
After months of negotiations, the two U.S. allies signed the deal in July 2024, with ratification by their respective parliaments following in the months thereafter.
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