Heroes Hall, Malacañan Palace
July 8, 2024

“I’m glad that having witnessed the commencement, the beginnings of this agreement, that is has now come to fruition and that we are ready now to sign the Reciprocal Agreement. Your presence here increases our confidence in the importance that the Japanese government puts on these extremely important agreements that we have,” President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said as he welcomed Japanese Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko and Defense Minister Kihara Minoru in a joint courtesy call at Malacañan Palace on July 8, 2024.

Stressing the importance of today’s event that the two nations have been working very hard to achieve, the President expressed his gratitude to the two Japanese Ministers for visiting the country to be part of the Philippines-Japan Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) signing ceremony.

For her part, Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko conveyed Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s best wishes to President Marcos Jr. and her appreciation for the heartwarming welcome from the Chief Executive, as well as for “pointing out the importance of the Japan and Philippines alliance.”

“Japan and the Philippines have made concrete progress in a wide range of areas of cooperation. In particular, the fact that we are able to sign the RAA today is a great achievement following the Leaders decided to launch negotiations at last November’s Summit Meeting. To maintain and strengthen a free and open international order based on the rule of law, we would like to strengthen our partnership under your Excellency’s leadership,” Foreign Minister Kamikawa stated.

Likewise, Defense Minister Kihara Minoru lauded the exceptional leadership of President Marcos Jr. and Prime Minister Kishida that resulted to great strides in defense cooperation and exchanges.

“The signature of the Reciprocal Access Agreement today represents the cooperative relationship that our two nations enjoy, and I welcome this new development which reinforces the effectiveness of our defense cooperation. I am committed to working with my good colleague Secretary Teodoro to further enhance our defense cooperation and exchanges in order to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Defense Minister Kihara said.

After the joint courtesy call, President Marcos Jr., together with Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Enrique Manalo and Japanese Defense Minister Kihara Minoru, witnessed the ceremonial signing of the Philippines-Japan Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) between Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and Japanese Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko.

The landmark RAA, which will take effect after ratification by the two countries’ legislatures, would allow Filipino soldiers to undergo joint combat training with their counterparts in Japan. This is the first defense agreement forged by Japan in Asia that aims to further enhance the two countries’ defense cooperation.

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