Philippines and Japan sign disaster relief deal seen to forge closer military ties

Carlito G. Galvez, Jr (right), senior undersecretary of National Defense of the Philippines, with Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada bows to national flags of Philippines and Japan as he reviews an honour guard ahead of a bilateral meeting at the Defence Ministry in Tokyo Friday, Feb. 10, 2023. - AP

MANILA, Feb 10 (The Straits Times/ANN): The Philippines and Japan on Thursday signed a humanitarian assistance and disaster relief agreement, which could serve as a precursor to joint military exercises as tensions mount over China’s growing influence in Asia.

The deal was inked during Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s five-day working visit to Tokyo, where he and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida witnessed the signing of seven bilateral deals covering various areas like infrastructure, agriculture and the economy.