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Japan-PH military access deal activated for Cebu quake relief

Philippine News Agency

By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora
October 9, 2025, 2:31 pm

MANILA -- The Japan Air Self-Defense Force is set to provide support for transporting relief supplies to earthquake victims in Cebu, at the request of the Philippine side —one of the first activities to be conducted by Tokyo under the new Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) with Manila.

In a statement on Thursday, the Japanese Embassy in Manila announced that the RAA had been applied to the bilateral humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) exercise Doshin-Bayanihan between the Japan Air Self-Defense Force and the Philippine Air Force conducted in the Philippines on Oct. 7.

"Furthermore, taking advantage of this bilateral exercise opportunity, Japan Air Self-Defense Force will provide support to transport relief supplies within the Philippines, in response to the request from the Philippines, for the relief operations responding to the earthquake in Cebu that occurred late on September 30," it said.

"The Japan-Philippines RAA will also be applied to this transport of relief supplies."

Last Sept. 30, Tokyo and Manila convened the Joint Committee meeting on RAA, where arrangements to implement the deal were discussed among officials of the Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defense for Japan, and the Department of National Defense and other relevant Philippine agencies.

The arrangements will pave the way for the smooth conduct of cooperative activities such as joint exercises and disaster relief operations by both countries while enhancing interoperability between their respective forces.

"Amid an increasingly challenging regional security environment, security and defense cooperation with the Philippines —a strategic partner sharing fundamental values and principles with Japan, which is located at a point of strategic importance on sea lanes— will be further promoted," it said.

"This will provide robust support for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region."

The RAA was ratified by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and was concurred by the Senate on Dec. 16.

It entered into force on Sept. 11, 2025. (PNA)