By Robina Asido

The Philippines and Japan will discuss "a couple of agreements" during Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's official visit to the country next week, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said on Thursday.

Manalo did not name the deals that Japan and Philippines are expected to discuss but he noted that it will include "political, economic, security, cultural" issues concerning both countries.

"I can’t say right now how many but we will have a couple of agreements. The discussions will be on a broad range of issues - political, economic, security, cultural," he said.

Reports from Tokyo stated that the agreements that are expected to discuss during Ishiba's visit include General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) for the sharing of classified information and the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) to allow the transfer of fuel and ammunition.

Manalo said the official visit of Ishiba is "very important because Japan is our strategic partner and we have very close relations with Japan in so many areas so it is a symbol of the strength and growing cooperation between our two countries."

He also expects Japan to provide an update on the ratification of the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) by the Japanese parliament during the visit of Ishiba next week.

"Well we have already ratified (it) but we will hear from Japan on the state of the completion of their domestic processes," he said.

The RAA that was signed during the visit of Japanese Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko in the country last July 8, 2024 was ratified by the Senate of the Philippines in December of the same year. DMS