The Japanese and Philippine governments, ahead of a summit meeting scheduled for Thursday in Tokyo, have entered the final stage of reaching a comprehensive agreement that smooths the process for implementing joint drills in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, several Japan government sources said.
The agreement involving the Self-Defense Forces of Japan and the Philippine military will serve as a pillar in a partnership formulated for deepening security cooperation with an eye on China.
The intention is to use the agreement as a stepping stone to a "reciprocal access agreement" (RAA), which will be applied to all aspects of the joint drills.
