The Japanese and Philippine governments have agreed to hold a “two-plus-two” security meeting of their top diplomats and defense chiefs in Manila on July 8, Philippine government sources have said, as the two countries monitor China’s growing regional assertiveness keep an eye on.
With the meeting, the two sides aim to strengthen bilateral security ties and could sign a mutual access agreement to facilitate mutual visits by the Self-Defense Forces and the Philippine Army, sources said Monday.
The upcoming meeting will be the second of its kind, after the first in April 2022, and will be attended by Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and Defense Secretary Minoru Kihara and their Philippine counterparts, Enrique Manalo and Gilberto Teodoro, respectively.
