Japan and the Philippines are indeed scheduled to hold high-level defense talks next month. Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara and Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa will discuss “bilateral and defense and security issues affecting the region” during the July 8 meeting in Manila. These talks come amid escalating confrontations at sea between Chinese and Philippine ships, as Beijing asserts its claims in the South China Sea. Additionally, Japan is negotiating a Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) with Manila, which would allow both countries to deploy troops on each other’s territory. The commitment to deepen security and defense cooperation between Japan and the Philippines remains a priority, with Japan actively supporting the Philippine Coast Guard and engaging in joint naval and air drills in the strategic Indo-Pacific region.
www.thedefensepost.com/2024/06/28/philippines-japan-security-talks/
www.philstar.com/headlines/2024/06/28/2366244/philippines-japan-hold-security-talks-next-month
NEW: Japan and the Philippines will hold high-level defence talks next month, Manila said Friday, as the two countries seek to boost ties in the face of an increasingly confrontational China.t.co/A2r9GrkT2h
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