The Philippines intends to forge a visiting forces agreement ( VFA) with Japan and other Association of Southeast Asian Nations ( ASEAN), Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Wednesday.

"Of course, because a major part of any military-to-military exercise now includes humanitarian disaster assistance," said Lorenzana of the intent to seek a visiting forces with Japan and other ASEAN nations..

Lorenzana said a visiting forces agreement "will allow troops from other countries to stay here, to come here, exercise with us or do humanitarian assistance." "So, that will be very good if we will have VFAs with our neighboring countries," added Lorenzana,

Japan was an observer in the recent Philippine-US military exercise in Subic.

The Philippines has visiting forces agreements with the United States and Australia. DMS