China Cornered; Xi’s Worst Nightmare? Two Asian Rivals Seal Explosive Military Deal

The deal will now allow each country to deploy troops on the other's soil. The development signals a bold military alignment that many believe could upend China's dominance in the region.

Chinese President Xi Jinping

New Delhi: Japan has formally ratified the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) with the Philippines after months of speculation and delays. Though Manila approved the pact nearly a year ago, Tokyo’s green light came only recently. It marks a significant moment in Asia’s shifting strategic landscape.

The final push came after Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s high-profile visit to the Philippines that showcased how seriously both countries are taking China's increasing aggression.

Under the agreement, Japanese and Filipino forces will now be able to train and operate on each other’s territories. This includes live-fire military drills and joint exercises, an unprecedented move considering Japan’s post-WWII military restrictions.

Analysts call it a strategic masterstroke against China, which has ongoing maritime disputes with both nations over contested islands in the East and South China Seas.

Manila had already signalled its commitment back in 2024. In a ceremony held in July that year, Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa formally signed the deal. Even President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. attended the event, reinforcing the high level of political and military will behind the pact.

Philippine Ambassador to Japan, Mylene Garcia-Albano, did not hold back. In a statement on Friday, she welcomed the Japanese upper house's approval of the RAA and declared it a “major milestone” that now completes the legislative process in Tokyo.

According to her, this agreement will simplify joint training and disaster relief deployments and will boost military cooperation between the two nations.

This deal is considered to be groundbreaking. It marks the first time since World War II that Japanese troops will return to Philippine soil, which they once occupied during wartime. Until now, Japan had signed similar agreements only with allies like Australia and the United Kingdom. With this step, it boldly enters the Asian military partnership arena.

An Anti-China Alliance in the Making?

Japan and the Philippines are both close allies of the United States, and this agreement comes amid growing concern over China’s rising belligerence in the region. From the East China Sea to the South China Sea, China has repeatedly flexed its military muscles, claimed territory and tested regional limits. But this new axis between Tokyo and Manila could be the most serious check on Beijing's power yet.

Xi Jinping’s ambitions for regional hegemony may have just hit a serious roadblock.