Philippines, Japan foreign and defence ministers to meet July 8 in Manila

MANILA (Reuters) – The Philippines and Japan will hold a 2+2 foreign and defence ministerial meeting in Manila on July 8 to discuss regional defence and security matters, Manila’s foreign ministry said on Friday, amid increasing tensions in the South China Sea.

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and Defence Minister Minoru Kihara will meet with their Philippine counterparts, Enrique Manalo and Gilberto Teodoro Jr, the foreign ministry said in a statement.

“The four ministers are expected to discuss bilateral and defense and security issues affecting the region, and exchange views on regional and international issues,” the ministry said.

The 2+2 Foreign and Defense Ministers Meeting is the highest consultative mechanism between the Philippines and Japan. The first 2+2 meeting was held in 2022 in Tokyo.

The meeting comes as the Philippines and Japan are negotiating a reciprocal access agreement (RAA) that would allow their respective militaries to visit each other’s soil.

The Philippines has been ramping up its ties with neighbours and other countries to counter what it describes as China’s growing aggression in the South China.

In February 2023, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida agreed in Tokyo that their militaries would cooperate on disaster relief, a deal that paved the way for RAA negotiations with Japan.

(Reporting by Neil Jerome Morales, Additional Reporting by Mikhail Flores; Editing by John Mair)