MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines and Japan on Monday, July 8, signed a Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA), a deal that eases access for the militaries of both countries.
Filipino and Japanese ministers have hailed it as a landmark agreement that brings bilateral defense ties to “an unprecedented height.”
In this edition of Rappler Talk, we speak to Joshua Espeña, vice president of the International Development and Security Cooperation and lecturer at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, to make sense of the deal, what it means for the Philippines’ security and defense sector, and why it makes sense for both countries to finish the RAA in record time.
Bookmark this page to tune into the interview on Tuesday, July 9, at around 6 in the evening. – Rappler.com