Japanese, Philippine Leaders Meet Amid South China Sea Tensions

(MNI) London - Wires carrying comments following a meeting between Philippines President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. and Japanese PM Fumio Kishida. Marcos and Kishida each confirmed that approval was given to start negotiations on a reciprocal access agreement. Such an agreement would see much closer cooperation between the two nations' militaries. Kishida: "[We] agreed to further strengthen trilateral cooperation among Japan, the United States and the Philippines."

• Kishida: "[We] share the serious concerns about the situation in the East China Sea and the South China Sea and attempts to unilaterally change the status quo by force are unacceptable."
• Marcos says that he and Kishida exchanged notes on Japan's Official Security Assistance (OSA) program for allies. Marcos: "The OSA grant [...] will help boost the efforts of our Department of National Defense in securing coastal radars for our AFP to enhance our maritime domain awareness capabilities and maritime security."
• Tensions between the Philippines and China around the contested Scarborough Shoal area in the South China Sea have spiked in the past week, with each side accusing the other of illegally entering their waters.