(Press Release)
February 25, 2025
Japan Ministry of Defense
On February 24, 2025, Defense Minister Nakatani held a meeting with Philippine Secretary of National Defense, Gilberto Teodoro, in the Philippines, for approximately 120 minutes. The summary of the meeting is as follows:
- The two Ministers welcomed the remarkable development of Japan-Philippines bilateral defense cooperation, noting its progress as strategic partners. They agreed to further enhance defense cooperation and collaboration to contribute to regional and international security environment amidst increasingly complex and intensified regional and international situations.
- Minister Nakatani expressed grave concerns over the recent military activities surrounding Japan. Both Ministers exchanged views on regional situations including the East and South China Seas and agreed to strongly oppose any attempt to unilaterally change the status quo by force or any actions that heighten tensions.
- The two Ministers confirmed their commitment to further advancing multilayered people-to-people exchanges, including high-level exchanges and the acceptance of Philippine cadets and officers at the National Defense Academy and others.
- The two Ministers concurred to intensify joint training and unit-to-unit cooperation. They also confirmed to establish a new high-level framework for strategic operational cooperation and to advance the domestic procedures required for the implementation of the Japan-Philippines Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA). Additionally, they decided to initiate discussions on security of military information between their defense authorities.
- The two Ministers welcomed the steady progress in Japan-Philippines defense equipment and technology cooperation such as the transfer of air surveillance radar systems, and agreed to establish a new high-level framework between defense equipment authorities to discuss broader and long-term cooperation on defense equipment and technology, as well as to send a public and private sector mission to the Philippines.
- The two Ministers confirmed to continue further strengthening bilateral cooperation, as well as cooperation under the ADMM-Plus and multilateral cooperation of which Japan and the Philippines are part, such as Japan-U.S.-Philippines and Japan-U.S.-Australia-Philippines, to contribute together to uphold and reinforce the free and open international order based on the rule of law.