Disclose Manila-Tokyo meeting agenda, DFA urged

MANILA, Philippines - Militant group Bayan on Wednesday urged the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs to disclose the agenda in the meeting between the Philippines and Japan Foreign Minister Fumio Kushida.

Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes Jr. suspected that  the visit may be a prelude to Philippine-Japan military exercises and port calls under the defense umbrella of the United States.

Both the Philippines and Japan are treaty partners of the US.

"It now appears that Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force is no longer focused just on external defense. It is flexing its military muscle in the region, under the auspices of the US. In fact the US Navy is the most frequent exercise partner of Japan. The Statement of Intent between Japan and the Philippines was done at the behest of the US," Reyes said.

Last year, a Statement of Intent was signed by the Philippines and Japan on various security related issues including maritime security.

The Statement was billed as another step towards building a minimum credible defense posture for the Philippines, especially with the territorial dispute with China.

Reyes however doubted if the statement of cooperation will lead to the development of a credible defense posture.

"The military forces of these US treaty allies are being mobilized to support US strategic rebalancing of its forces in Asia, The big powers are merely using the dispute with China, and the weakness of our armed forces, to justify foreign military presence in the our country,"Reyes added.

The group wants the DFA to clarify if the Statement of Intent allows Japanese forces to participate in war games in the Philippines even if the country has no status of forces agreement with Japan.

Under the accord, both countries will "participate, including as observers, in training activities and exercises conducted by either Participant (country), subject to mutual consent for each of the exercise and to conduct unit-to-unit exchanges...”.

The agreement also states that “the Participants will make implementing arrangements for specific defense cooperation or exchanges, as may be necessary.”

Bayan also questioned the seemingly indefinite nature of the Statement of Intent, which is initially in effect for five years but can be automatically extended for another five years unless a party suspends or terminates the cooperation. - Dennis Carcamo