Japan PM Ishiba’s first Manila visit spotlights security, defense, trade

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In his first visit to Manila as Prime Minister, at least three of Ishiba Shigeru’s stories stood out.

First, his first visit to the Philippines 25 years ago as a junior agriculture official; second, his visit to Osaka when it last hosted a World Expo in 1970 and which provided a possible encounter with a younger Ferdinand Marcos Jr.; and third, the close ties Tokyo and Manila have enjoyed over the past decade.

“I hope that our two nations can continuously communicate with each other to oppose attempts to change the status quo in the East and South China Seas by force or coercion and to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific based on the Rule of Law,” said Ishiba, a former defense minister who became prime minister in late September 2024.

“On the status of the global economy, we discussed the tariff measures taken by the United States, as well as the impact felt on the multilateral free trade regime and the world economy, because of the reciprocal retaliations seen with the United States and China,” he said, vowing to “listen carefully” to countries from Southeast Asia.

Before a press conference in the President’s Hall of Malacañang Palace, Ishiba announced the beginning of bilateral negotiations on an acquisition and cross servicing agreement (ACSA) and a security of information agreement.

The two agreements, once concluded, pave the way for even closer cooperation between Japan and the Philippines’ security and defense sectors ahead of the Japan Diet’s ratification of the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) between the two countries.

Ishiba’s two-day official visit to the Philippines comes at a crucial and difficult time for the region and the world at large.

United States President Donald Trump has remained unchanged, albeit unpredictably tentative, in his push to turn the superpower inward by scaling down on aid and international commitments and imposing “reciprocal tariffs” worldwide, even on its traditional allies and trade partners.

Yet in visiting Manila, little was announced — at least in concrete terms — about American tariffs and the vacuum that the stoppage of United States Agency for International Development (USAID) programs and funding has caused, both in the Philippines and the region.

Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru state visit

Bilateral ties

The last time a Japanese prime minister visited the Philippines in November 2023, the two countries announced the start of negotiations for the RAA. Just eight months later, the deal was signed on the sidelines of the 2+2 meeting with Manila and Tokyo’s defense and foreign ministers.

It’s a bilateral relationship that’s grown in strides, with Manila being the first-ever recipient of Japan’s Official Security Assistance (OSA) that mainly benefits the armed forces.

Tokyo has also played a key role in the modernization of the Philippine Coast Guard, among the frontliners of the Philippine efforts to assert its rights and claims in the West Philippine Sea.

Japan is also among the largest sources of bilateral foreign aid for Manila, through its Official Development Assistance (ODA).

“With the spirit of reconciliation, brotherhood, and amity as foundational to our relationship, the fruits of seven decades of engagement attest to a deeply meaningful relationship where our two peoples slowly built a shared history and multifaceted cooperation,” said Marcos.

It’s a relationship that’s touched many corners of Philippine society, from maritime security, climate change adaptability, agriculture, health, food security, and even the peace process in Mindanao.

In his visit to the Palace, Ishiba also said the following, according to the Japanese foreign ministry:

“His desire to utilize Japan’s experience and strengths to strongly support President Marcos’ goal of the Philippines becoming an upper middle-income;
“Strengthen public-private partnerships to increase the resilience of the Philippine economy, considering that Japanese companies are participating in the submarine cable project supported by JBIC and the construction of a 5G telecommunications network through the open RAN demonstration test;
“The importance of public-private collaboration to expand LNG facilities in the Philippines” and the advancement of “cooperation through the ‘Asia Zero Emissions Community (AZEC)’ and collaborate on establishing a resilient energy supply”;
“Japan would support the development of flood control and early warning systems in the Philippines by drawing on its experience and knowledge;
“Work closely together in agricultural products and that they will cooperate with the public and private sectors on infrastructure development in the Philippines.”

Japan and the region

But to better appreciate Ishiba’s Philippine visit, it’s important to lay out what came before it.

Before landing in Manila, Ishiba spent two days in Vietnam. A month prior in January 2025, before Trump took office, Ishiba visited Malaysia and Indonesia.

In these visits, Ishiba emphasized “Southeast Asia…[as]…the economic growth center of the world” and its “extremely important role as we work to realize a Free and Open Indo-Pacific.”

Malaysia is chairperson of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, while Indonesia is where its headquarters is located. Vietnam and the Philippines are both claimants to parts of the tumultuous South China Sea.

Before Ishiba’s visit, his foreign minister Iwaya Takeshi, and his defense minister, Nakatani Gen also visited Manila. In both those stops, the two ministers emphasized the importance of not just Philippine-Japan bilateral ties, but also the trilateral relationship between Japan, the Philippines, and the US.

It was a trilateral relationship envisioned to change the dynamics of the Southeast Asian region and even beyond, in light of a China that’s become more aggressive and egregious in insisting on its claims in the South China Sea, including in the West Philippine Sea.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)’s Japan-made vessels are repeat witnesses and victims of the China Coast Guard (CCG)’s actions on the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

‘Increasingly severe’ situation

Closer security ties, Iwaya had said during his Manila meeting in January 2025, was important given the “increasingly severe strategic environment” surrounding Japan.

Months later, the term “increasingly severe” would also apply to the “international situation” at a “turning point in history.” Iwaya made the observation in a meeting with his counterparts from East Asia — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul — in late March 2025.

Over a week later, on April 2, Trump announced “reciprocal” tariffs that would rattle nearly all corners of the world. Before Washington eventually hit pause on the new rates, Japan was slapped with a 24% rate, while the Philippines would have had to deal with a 17% rate.

Neither Marcos nor Ishiba spoke publicly about any joint effort to convince the US to scale back or withdraw its planned tariffs.

“The two leaders discussed a wide range of economic issues, taking into account the impact of the US tariff measures and China’s retaliatory actions on the global economy and the multilateral trading system,” according to a readout from the Japan embassy in Manila.

During an April 30 meeting with representatives from Japanese companies in Manila, Ishiba discussed “how increasing uncertainty in the international economic environment might affect their operations.”

“Japan is one of the top bilateral partners that we have for trade, investment, and development cooperation,” was what Marcos said of trade, at least publicly, as they welcomed Ishiba to Malacañang.

Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru visits PCG

The Japanese leader capped off his reintroduction to Manila with two visits that exemplify how bilateral relations started and where its leaders hope it is heading.

After meeting Japanese business representatives on April 30, Ishiba visited the Japanese Memorial Garden in Caliraya, Laguna, a monument erected by both governments to commemorate Japanese soldiers who died in World War II.

He “offered flowers to mourn the war dead of Japan and the Philippines, and pray for peace and friendship between the two countries,” said the Japanese foreign ministry. Japan — through its visiting leaders and embassy in the Philippines — always makes it a point to acknowledge and, perhaps, even remind itself of the suffering and lessons from when it colonized the Philippines.

In the afternoon, Ishiba, as Kishida once did, visited the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) headquarters. He boarded the Japan-made BRP Teresa Magbanua, a ship that’s seen the toughest of times in the Philippines’ desire to assert its rights in the West Philippine Sea. The Philippines is set to acquire five more vessels like the Magbanua from Japan.

“Having gone through close to a century of hardships and efforts by our forefathers, I am deeply moved that Japan and the Philippines are now partners closing in on an alliance. His Excellency President earlier has referred to Japan and the Philippines now as [being in a] relationship in the golden age. For this region, as well as for the world and also for our two peoples…this is something meaningful,” said Ishiba. – Rappler.com

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