Japan and Philippines vow to resist attempts to alter status quo in East and South China Seas

Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. agreed Tuesday to enhance economic and defense cooperation, affirming their opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the East and South China Seas through force or coercion.

In a bilateral meeting held in Manila, Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. reaffirmed their countries’ shared commitment to regional peace and stability, particularly amid growing tensions with China in disputed maritime areas.

The two leaders emphasized the importance of upholding international law and pledged to oppose any efforts to alter the status quo in the East and South China Seas. Japan and the Philippines have separate maritime disputes with China, making regional security a central theme of their discussion.

Ishiba’s visit to the Philippines is part of a four-day Southeast Asia tour that included Vietnam. This marks his third trip to the region since taking office in October, signaling Tokyo’s renewed diplomatic engagement with its Southeast Asian partners.

The meeting also touched on economic collaboration, with both leaders expressing interest in advancing cooperation across key sectors such as telecommunications, energy, mineral resources, and agriculture. They also discussed restarting negotiations on “reciprocal” tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Ishiba highlighted the value of the trilateral partnership between Japan, the Philippines, and the United States, formalized in Washington in April, as essential to maintaining a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific.

President Marcos described the visit as “fruitful” and announced plans to begin negotiations on acquisition and cross-servicing agreements with Japan, reflecting Manila’s intent to deepen its strategic alliance with Tokyo.

“As we approach the 70th anniversary of the normalization of our diplomatic ties in 2026, we look forward to a robust and dynamic partnership with Japan,” Marcos said.

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