Press Releases
Joint Committee Meeting under the Japan-Philippines Reciprocal Access Agreement
October 7, 2025
On September 30, a Joint Committee meeting was held based on the “Agreement between Japan and the Republic of the Philippines Concerning the Facilitation of Reciprocal Access and Cooperation between the Self-Defense Forces of Japan and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (“the Japan-Philippines Reciprocal Access Agreement”, or “the Japan-Philippines RAA”)” (signed on July 8, 2024 and entered into force on September 11, 2025).
- This meeting was conducted via videoconference. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defense for Japan, and the Department of National Defense and other relevant agencies for the Philippines participated in the meeting. At this meeting, arrangements to implement the Japan-Philippines RAA were made pursuant to the Article XXVII (6) of the RAA.
- Accordingly, the Japan-Philippines RAA will be applied to the bilateral HA/DR exercise “Doshin-Bayanihan” between the Japan Air Self-Defense Force and the Philippines Air Force to be conducted in the Philippines from October 7 as its first case. Furthermore, taking advantage of this bilateral exercise opportunity, Japan Air Self-Defense Force will provide support to transport relief supplies within the Philippines, in response to the request from the Philippines, for the relief operations responding to the earthquake in Cebu that occurred late on September 30. The Japan-Philippines RAA will be also applied to this transport of relief supplies.
- The Japan-Philippines RAA is expected to facilitate the smooth conduct of cooperative activities such as joint exercises and disaster relief operations by Japan and the Philippines from now on, while also enhancing interoperability between the forces of the both countries. Amid an increasingly challenging regional security environment, security and defense cooperation with the Philippines—a strategic partner sharing fundamental values and principles with Japan, which is located at a point of strategic importance on sea lanes—will be further promoted. This will provide robust support for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.