MANILA, Philippines- Sinabi ni Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. na ang defense cooperation kasama ang Japan ay mas lalakas sa oras na ang Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) ay nauwi na sa pwersa.
Sinabi ni DND spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arsenio Andolong na nagpalabas ng kanyang obserbasyon sa kamakailan lamang na courtesy call ng newly promoted na si Japan Self-Defense Force (JSDF) Vice Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Matsunaga Koji sa Camp Aguinaldo sa Quezon City.
“Secretary Teodoro also noted that the entry into force of the Philippines-Japan RAA will further propel the two countries’ defense partnership and will significantly improve the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) and JSDF’s interoperability and joint capacities in addressing common security challenges,” ang sinabi ni Andolong.
Ang RAA ay nilagdaan noong July 18, 2024 at niratipikahan ng Senado ng Pilipinas noong Dec. 16.
Inaasahan naman na sa pamamagitan ng Japanese Diet (Legislature) ay mararatipikahan ang kasunduan ngayong taon.
“Both officials expressed optimism that overall Philippines-Japan defense cooperation will continue to prosper in the coming years,” ang naging pahayag ni Andolong.
Kapwa inihayag ng dalawang kampo ang positibong momentum ng dalawang bansa pagdating sa strategic partnership, partikular na sa larangan ng ‘defense at security.’
Ito’y mas pinalakas ng matagumpay na Defense Ministerial Meeting (DMM) sa pagitan nina Teodoro at Japanese Defense Minister Nakatani Gen noong Feb. 24.
“Lt. Gen. Matsunaga reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to expeditiously work on the attainment of agreed action items during the DMM, such as pursuing frameworks of cooperation to further enhance military-to-military cooperation; enhancing the AFP’s maritime and air domain awareness capabilities; and identifying activities/engagements to promote and ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific,” ang sinabi ni Andolong. Kris Jose
