Japan, Philippines pledge to strengthen security cooperation

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation including in the area of security on Sunday, October 26. Announcement was made amid ongoing territorial disputes in the South China Sea between China and the Philippines. Both leaders held a 20-minute meeting on the sidelines of several summits linked to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Kuala Lumpur. Marking the upcoming 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, Marcos invited Takaichi to visit the Philippines in 2026. “We discussed our respective concerns openly,” Takaichi told reporters following the meeting, according to Jiji Press.