TOKYO — The Philippine government is working to complete the terms of reference or ToR for a Visiting Forces Agreement with Japan but, unlike the existing deal with the United States and Australia, troops will not be deployed for war games.
The Marcos administration’s efforts at forging closer security ties with Japan are moving towards the “general direction” of entering into a VFA that would station Japanese troops in the Philippines for humanitarian assistance and disaster response or HA/DR, according to Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Japan does not have an army, navy, or air force but it has a self-defense force in accordance with its Pacifist Charter.
Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution not only forbids the use of force as a means of settling international disputes but also forbids Japan from maintaining offensive troops or stationing forces outside the country.
In October last year, the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force or JGSDF Western Area Command conducted a capacity-building cooperation in HA/DR with the Philippine Army.
Training in the improvement of each country’s disaster response capabilities was on the visit’s agenda.
Talking with Philippine media, Romualdez was asked if the terms of reference on the proposed deal inked by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will lead to the signing of an agreement similar to the Philippines-US Visiting Forces Agreement.
“I think that’s the general direction,” Romualdez told reporters.
“We’re all in the same region and we’re all actually experiencing the same issues and concerns and the President always says he works multilaterally, but that’s not without exception to having bilateral agreements, for instance between the Philippines and Japan,” he explained.
The ToR was among the seven key agreements inked during the first Summit Meeting between Marcos and Kishida at the Prime Minister’s Office last week.
Peace, stability tool
Forging VFA-like treaties between Tokyo and Manila is needed to maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific Region.
“We really need security arrangements because peace and stability in the region promote prosperity. And that’s the bedrock of any strong economy,” he averred.
Romualdez, who constantly accompanies Marcos on his foreign trips, said the President and the Japanese leader tackled the “Reciprocal Access Agreement” or RAA in “broad strokes” during their bilateral meeting earlier this week.
“In broad strokes, yes. In general, there’s a general understanding that that’s the direction but that’s always…to usher in an environment of peace and stability, that’s what it’s all about. It’s the creation of balance,” he said.
In the works
Romualdez believes RAA between the two countries “are ongoing,” adding: “That’s what they call a work in progress.”
“So, there’s always conversations along those lines and the lines of communications are very wide open, especially after the visit,” he said.
He revealed that security talks between Marcos and Kishida began during their first bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in September last year in the US.
“This is an offshoot of their first meeting which I was present at in New York, after the United Nations General Assembly opening. We had lunch with the newly-minted Prime Minister Kishida Fumio in New York and the words that they used were economic security,” he said.
Deal builds capacity
Romualdez allayed concerns that HA/DR exercises between Japan and the Philippines will provoke China, saying that it only involves “capability-building” for Manila.
“The President has made his foreign policy very clear. He is a friend of all and an enemy to none. The Chief Executive feels that peace is the most important ingredient in any foreign policy declaration,” he said.
“We’re on the winning side of all of these types of arrangements or agreements because, as you know, we are still a bit challenged when it comes to our defense capabilities.”
At present, the Philippines has a VFA with Australia since 2012, aside from the US, which recently affirmed its openness to modernizing the defense capabilities of Philippine forces.
Before he began his visit to Japan, Marcos said he had his eyes set on building “stronger defense and security cooperation” with the neighboring country.
Throughout the years, Marcos said the country’s dealings with Japan have been limited to loan agreements, humanitarian assistance, aid provision, and trade.