Overview
- Foreign ministers Toshimitsu Motegi and Theresa Lazaro signed the Acquisition and Cross‑Servicing Agreement in Manila on Jan. 15.
- The pact permits tax‑free provision of ammunition, fuel, food and other necessities during joint training, and is intended to support disaster response and U.N. peacekeeping.
- Japan said the agreement still requires approval by its legislature before it can take effect.
- Tokyo announced $6 million in Official Security Assistance to build facilities for rigid‑hulled inflatable boats it donated to enhance Philippine maritime capability.
- The move builds on a Reciprocal Access Agreement that took effect in 2024 and is framed within closer coordination with the United States as tensions with China persist.