Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. met with outgoing Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Endo Kazuya during a farewell call at the Department of National Defense (DND) Building in Camp Aguinaldo, Manila, on Tuesday, August 11.
The visit coincided with the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two nations, with Teodoro commending Tokyo’s continued backing of Manila’s defense and security efforts toward maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific.
Teodoro thanked Ambassador Endo for his efforts in bolstering bilateral security ties throughout his tenure, particularly in advancing foundational defense agreements and capacity-building frameworks.
Key defense mechanisms highlighted during the discussions include the implementation of the Philippines-Japan Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA), the conclusion of the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement, and ongoing talks regarding a Security Information Agreement.
The two countries have also expanded security cooperation through defense equipment and tech sharing under Tokyo’s Official Security Assistance (OSA) program, which provides defense capability support to strategic partner states.
As part of this initiative, both officials previously attended a February 11 handover ceremony for five coastal surveillance radar systems granted to the Philippines under Japan’s fiscal year 2023 OSA allocation. Designed to enhance the country’s maritime domain awareness, the radar assets demonstrate the shift toward practical, operational security coordination between the two nations.
During the meeting, Teodoro and Endo also explored avenues to broaden trilateral and multilateral defense frameworks alongside other allied countries.
To honor Ambassador Endo’s contributions to strengthening the Philippines-Japan Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, Teodoro presented him with the Outstanding Achievement Medal.