Marcos, Japan's Kishida to discuss WPS issue during bilateral talks

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida are set to discuss issues concerning the West Philippine Sea (WPS) during their meeting on Friday.

In a press statement issued by the Presidential Communications Office, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said that Kishida would have an official visit to the Philippines on from November 3 to 4.

Marcos will welcome the Japanese leader during a ceremony at the Palace on Friday.

The PCO statement said Marcos and Kishida will “discuss the issues on the West Philippine Sea and Japan's Official Development Assistance (ODA)” during the meeting.

“Both leaders are expected to discuss the two countries’ multifaceted and dynamic cooperation on political and security cooperation and economic and people-to-people relations,” the DFA said.

The DFA added: “Among the specific issues to be discussed are the West Philippine Sea, trade and investment, and Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA).”

The two leaders would also exchange views about regional, international, and United Nations issues affecting the region and the world, the DFA said.

Earlier, Marcos and Kishida agreed to bolster Manila and Tokyo’s defense and security relations.

The two Asian leaders agreed to have further bilateral discussions on addressing regional and international situations, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region.

At the Senate, Majority Leader Joel Villanueva said Kishida's visit would bolster the maritime security in the WPS.

"Malaking bolster ito sa ating maritime security at narinig na natin ang Estados Unidos, sa kanilang mga statements. Narinig natin ngayon at  makikita natin ang pinakamataas na opisyal ng Japanese government ay mismong pupunta rito para ipakita ang support sa atin. Muli, ipakita nila what it's like to be friends with the Japanese government," Villanueva said in a virtual interview with reporters.

(This is a big bolster to our maritime security. We have heard the statements of the United States and now, we are seeing that Japan's top leader will visit the country to show their support to us. They are showing what it is like to be friends with the Japanese government.)

"Ito ay signal na ang mga bansa, 'yung like-minded countries na nag-a-adhere sa rule of law ay nagsasama-sama, so malaking bagay ito especially sa ating mga hamon na dinadala nitong tensyon dito sa ating sariling lupain ng West Philippine Sea," he added.

(This is a signal that like-minded countries which adhere to the rule of law are joining forces. This is a great help especially with the challenges and tensions in our own waters.)

In the previous visit of senators to Japan, Villanueva shared that the Japanese Prime Minister "aims to lay down the groundwork for a new security treaty with our country the Philippines."

He also mentioned the expansion of Japan's joint training with allies in the Indo-Pacific.

Villanueva said Marcos and Kishida are expected to discuss the Reciprocal Access Agreement.

"Ito 'yung magsi-simplify sa mga proseso ng Japan sa self-defense forces (This would simplify the process for Japanese forces) and the Philippine military to bring troops and equipment into each other’s countries, among others, to make it easier for us to conduct joint drills, etcetera," he said.

In August, Marcos cited the role of Japan in maintaining peace and security in the West Philippine Sea.

The President had said the bilateral and multilateral partnerships and agreements that the Philippines and Japan have entered into have given regard to maintaining stability in the resource-rich region.

“I refer to the tripartite trilateral agreements that we have been talking about and have started to implement in terms of joint patrols, in terms of joint exercises for the two maritime forces of Japan and the Philippines,” Marcos had said.

To recall, the National Security Advisers of Japan, the United States, and the Philippines started the discussions on conducting combined maritime activities, including joint naval exercises, in the Indo-Pacific waters that aims to support freedom of navigation and the broader rules-based order. — Anna Felicia Bajo and Hana Bordey/RSJ/AOL, GMA Integrated News