Tokyo: Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya and his Philippine counterpart Enrique Manalo have agreed to advance cooperation in the field of security, including the maritime domain, by holding maritime consultations and a vice-ministerial strategic dialogue this year. The agreement follows discussions aimed at strengthening the foundation for security and defense cooperation, as outlined in last month's summit talks between their leaders, according to Japan's Foreign Ministry.
According to Kuwait News Agency, during their meeting in Tokyo, Iwaya expressed Japan's intention to collaborate with the Philippines to achieve a free and open Indo-Pacific, describing their partnership as "a near-alliance status." Manalo acknowledged the turbulent international situation since his last meeting with Iwaya in January but appreciated the progress in cooperation, highlighted by Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's visit to the Philippines in April. Economically, both ministers agreed to prepare for the next bilateral high-level joint committee on infrastructure development and economic cooperation, scheduled to take place in Japan later this year.
Iwaya and Manalo also addressed various international issues, including the East China Sea and South China Sea situations, the Middle East, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, North Korea, US tariff measures, and their impact on the global economy and multilateral trading system. They emphasized the importance of coordinating with the US and other allied and like-minded countries to address these challenges and agreed to continue deepening cooperation among Japan, the Philippines, and the US to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific based on the rule of law.