By Robina Asido

Japan's parliament will start ratification hearings of the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) by the third quarter of 2025, an Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) official said on Thursday.

Maj. Gen. Rommel Cordova, Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), said the ratification of RAA is scheduled to start during summer season next year.

"In our case, I think the (ratification) process has started so it's now being deliberated by our Senate. In their case I was informed that the process will start in the summer of 2025, summer of 2025 is I think July to August," he said.

Cardova said because of the schedule of the ratification of RAA in Japan, the Self-Defense Forces of Japan will continue to participate in next year's Balikatan exercise as observers.

"Our Balikatan 2025 will be held on late April or early May. So for 2025 as much as we wanted to, the JSDF could not participate as a full partner in Balikatan but as they have been doing they can participate as observers in the Balikatan exercises," he said.

In a previous interview during the Mutual Defense Board - Security Engagement Board meeting between the United States and Philippines in Baguio City last August, AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. expressed hope that the ratification of the RAA will be completed before the opening of 40th Balikatan exercise next year.

Brawner said the JSDF could join next year's Balikatan exercises as regular participants once the recently signed RAA that was signed last July 8 is ratified before the start of the annual exercise between the Philippines and United States.

The Senate Committee on Foreign Relations has conducted one public hearing for RAA which was attended by Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. last November 25.

Just last week, Senate President Francis Escudero said that the Senate may ratify the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) between Philippines and Japan before the 19th Congress goes on its Christmas break on December 20. DMS