Japan-Philippines to discuss intelligence pact amid China issue

Japan and the Philippines will announce the start of formal negotiations on a security intelligence-sharing pact on Thursday (28/5), amid shared concerns over China's military activities in the region.

In a meeting in Tokyo, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. are also scheduled to agree to upgrade bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership, according to Japanese government sources.

The two leaders will hold a joint press conference and release a joint statement after the meeting.

Japan and the Philippines, both close allies of the United States, have stepped up security cooperation in recent years amid China's increasing maritime activity in the Indo-Pacific region.

China claims the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, which Japan controls, as well as almost all of the South China Sea, where its coast guard ships have been involved in several incidents with Philippine vessels in the disputed area.

The intelligence pact discussed is known as GSOMIA (General Security of Military Information Agreement), which requires both countries to protect joint military information from being leaked. Japan has similar agreements with Australia, South Korea, and the US.

In January, Japan and the Philippines signed a defense logistics support pact to facilitate the sharing of military supplies. The two countries' reciprocal access agreement also came into force in September last year to speed up the deployment of troops in joint exercises and disaster relief operations.

Marcos' state visit to Japan until Friday coincides with the 70th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between the two countries this year.