By Robina Asido

The partnership between Philippine and Japan has upgraded to "one level higher" with the signing of the reciprocal access agreement (RAA) on Monday.

In his speech before the start of the bilateral defense meeting, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said that the signing of RAA is another milestone in the Philippine - Japan "shared endeavor to ensure a rules-based international order to ensure peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and particularly in our region."

"We have upgraded our partnership one level higher by the signing of the Reciprocal Access Agreement," he said.

"We add another dimension to our already strong bilateral relations by adding the vital aspect of security which creates a holistic dimension or adds a holistic dimension to our bilateral relations," he added.

In his remarks, Japanese Defense Minister Kihara Minoru said the signing of RAA represents "the deepening cooperative relationship between our two nations."

"The Philippines and other Southeast Asian nations are situated in a very strategically important region, placed in a key junction of Japan’s sea-lanes. Advancing defense cooperation and exchanges with the Philippines is important for Japan," he said.

"We look forward to working closely with the Philippines to contribute to the peace and stability of the region," he added.

The RAA was signed by Teodoro and Japanese Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. witnessed the signing ceremony with Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo and Kihara.

The agreement, which is the first to be signed by Japan in the region, will take effect once the legislative bodies of the two countries ratify it,

“I’m glad that having witnessed the commencement, the beginning of this agreement, that it has now come to fruition and that we are ready now to sign the Reciprocal (Access) Agreement,” Marcos said.

“And your presence here increases our confidence and the importance that the Japanese government puts on these extremely important agreements that we have,” he added. DMS