Japan and the Philippines have signed a pivotal defence pact, the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA), amid escalating tensions with China in the Indo-Pacific region.

This agreement permits the tax-free exchange of essential supplies such as ammunition, fuel, food, and other necessities during joint military training exercises. Signed on Thursday in Manila by Japanese

Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Philippine Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro, the pact aims to enhance deterrence against China's assertive actions while improving readiness for natural disasters.

The signing ceremony also featured Japan's announcement of fresh security and economic aid to the Philippines, including funds for building security boat shelters and expanding internet access in vulnerable southern provinces.

This logistical pact builds on prior collaborations, notably the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) inked in mid-2024 and effective from September, which facilitates mutual troop deployments for larger-scale combat drills, including live-fire exercises. Negotiations continue for a further pact to safeguard the sharing of classified defence intelligence between the two nations.

Both countries confront distinct yet interconnected maritime disputes with Beijing. In the South China Sea, the Philippines has witnessed increasingly hostile encounters between its coast guard and Chinese vessels since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. assumed office in 2022, a sharp departure from his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte's conciliatory approach towards China.

Beijing asserts near-total control over this vital waterway, having constructed artificial islands and intensified its naval and coast guard presence, drawing counter-claims from Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei, and Taiwan.

Japan, meanwhile, faces routine provocations in the East China Sea, where Chinese coast guard ships and aircraft encroach on waters and airspace around the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands, often prompting Tokyo to scramble fighter jets.

These frictions have been exacerbated by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's recent statement suggesting that any Chinese move on Taiwan could provoke Japanese involvement, further straining Tokyo-Beijing relations. The United States, as a treaty ally to both Manila and Tokyo, has issued repeated warnings to China over its escalatory behaviour in these hotspots.

The ACSA requires ratification by Japan's parliament before entering force, underscoring the deepening security alignment between the two nations. Beyond military drills, the agreement supports joint humanitarian responses to disasters—frequent threats in typhoon-prone Philippines and earthquake-vulnerable Japan—and enables coordinated participation in United Nations peacekeeping missions.

This move reflects a broader Japanese pivot under Takaichi, echoing former Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's April 2025 call, during a Manila summit with Marcos, to uphold a rules-based order against unilateral force or coercion in the East and South China Seas.

Strategically, the pact fortifies a "free and open Indo-Pacific" framework, countering China's expansive claims and bolstering multilateral deterrence. Philippine officials view it as vital for modernising their forces amid budget constraints, while Japan seeks to project power beyond its shores through enhanced alliances.

As regional flashpoints persist, this agreement signals a resolute commitment to collective defence, potentially drawing wider involvement from Quad partners like the US, Australia, and India. Observers anticipate intensified trilateral exercises in the near term, amplifying interoperability against shared threats.
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Based On AP Report