Japan and the Philippines are set to formalize a landmark defense cooperation deal next month, as the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) signed earlier this year comes into force. Confirmed on August 12, 2025, the pact establishes the legal and operational framework for Japanese Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to train, operate, and provide logistical support on each other’s territory. This is Japan’s first military access agreement with a Southeast Asian nation, and the Philippines’ third after similar arrangements with the United States and Australia. Both nations see the RAA as a crucial tool to counter China’s growing maritime assertiveness in the South China Sea.
The treaty sets out detailed rules for reciprocal troop deployments, including force jurisdiction, customs exemptions for military equipment, recognition of professional qualifications, and operational guidelines for weapons and classified material handling. While it rules out permanent foreign bases, it allows rotational deployments and pre-positioning of military assets for joint operations. Japanese units may deploy maritime patrol aircraft, engineering teams for disaster relief, or amphibious forces for multilateral drills. The AFP will gain access to Japan’s advanced training, maritime surveillance expertise, and command-and-control systems, enhancing interoperability in both peacetime and crisis scenarios.
The RAA builds on a decade of growing defense-industrial collaboration. Japan has already supplied the Philippine Coast Guard with 13 patrol vessels, radar stations, and maritime surveillance systems. Tokyo recently approved a $500 million loan to build five new 97-meter patrol ships, one of which, the RP Suluan, was present during a recent collision with Chinese vessels near Scarborough Shoal. Talks are also underway for the transfer of up to six decommissioned Hatsuyuki-class destroyer escorts and several P-3C Orion patrol aircraft to bolster Manila’s naval capabilities.
This evolving partnership has gone beyond equipment sales, fostering institutional trust between military planners, procurement agencies, and technical specialists. Defense-industrial ties have created the operational familiarity needed for strategic agreements like the RAA, transforming cooperation into a functional alliance.
As the agreement takes effect, Japanese forces are expected to prepare for joint drills in Subic Bay, while Philippine units may participate in training exercises near Japan’s southwestern islands, focusing on coastal defense and rapid island reinforcement. For Manila, Japan’s experience in building robust, non-escalatory deterrence under constitutional constraints makes it a valuable partner in facing the challenges of an increasingly contested maritime environment.
