PH, Japan security advisers reaffirm cooperation over West PH Sea

The Philippines and Japan have reaffirmed to cooperate with each other in handling the tension in the West Philippine Sea after Philippine Security Adviser Eduardo Año spoke with his Japanese counterpart Okano Masataka over the phone on Monday afternoon.

The National Security Council of the Philippines (NSC) said that  Año congratulated the newly minted Japanese security adviser.

“NSA Año and NSA Okano discussed areas of cooperation to address destabilizing actions in the West Philippine Sea/South China Sea,” the NSC said in a statement.

“They reaffirmed their commitment to freedom of navigation and international law in the South China Sea and East China Sea, as well as the importance of upholding a free and open Indo-Pacific, and international rules-based order.”

Further, the two officials also vowed to continue the trilateral efforts with the United States.

“The two NSAs confirmed Japan-Philippines security cooperation and concurred to continue to work closely with each other,” the NSC said. “They also agreed to continue and promote the trilateral framework of cooperation with the United States under the new administration of President [Donald] Trump.”

Last year, the Philippines and Japan signed the landmark Reciprocal Access Agreement that would allow the Philippine Armed Forces and the Japanese Self-Defense Force to train in each other's territory.

 Japanese Ambassador Endo Kazuya earlier said that the issue on the disputed West Philippine Sea was a “legitimate concern to all the parties in the international community” after China called out Japan not to meddle in the maritime tension between Beijing and Manila. — Vince Angelo Ferreras/RSJ, GMA Integrated News