Marcos: Security cooperation a new element in Philippines-Japan ties

TOKYO — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Wednesday that his five-day visit here is expected to forge closer ties between the Philippines and Japan in ensuring security in the Asia-Pacific region.
 
Asked by reporters how he wants to improve cooperation with Japan in the South China Sea, Marcos said that “Japan wants to develop more and make our relationship even more robust and closer, especially in that regard.”
 
“This is a new element to our relationship because we are now talking about the security of the region,” the President said in an interview with reporters while aboard a flight to Japan.
 
Marcos said the Philippines’ dealings with Japan usually involve government-to-government, aid, grants, and commerce.
 
In his pre-departure speech in Manila, the chief executive said his visit is part of a larger foreign policy agenda to forge closer political ties, stronger defense and security cooperation, as well as lasting economic partnerships with major countries in the region.

“So being, of course, all interested in the same things, i.e., security in the region, I think cooperation is not a bad thing,” Marcos said.
 
Marcos’ Japan visit—his ninth official overseas trip since he assumed office—came on the heels of the decision by Manila and Washington to designate four new sites in the Philippines under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).
 
Marcos was also asked if the Philippines would forge a visiting forces agreement or a similar one with Japan.

“The VFA equivalent, hindi pa talaga namin napag-uusapan formally ‘yan (we haven't formally discussed that),” the President said.

“I don’t know if Prime Minister Kishida will take it up with me on this trip. But, so far, there have not been any formal proposals in that regard,” he said.
 
Nonetheless, Marcos said Japan has been supporting the Philippine Coast Guard’s maritime security mandate by providing the agency with patrol vessels.

“Siguro, sa kanilang palagay, the next step is to do the improvements and rehabilitation sa Subic para sa Coast Guard because, naturally, the reason behind all this is that they would like to have more patrols along—up and down the South China Sea, para naman we can assure the freedom of passage,” Marcos said.
 
(Probably in their view, the next step is to do the improvements and rehabilitation of Subic Port for the Coast Guard, because, naturally, the reason behind all this is that they would like to have more patrols along and down the South China Sea so we can assure freedom of passage.) — VBL, GMA Integrated News