Abe, Aquino vow to enhance bilateral security ties

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TOKYO — Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and visiting Philippine President Benigno Aquino on Tuesday agreed to enhance the two countries’ security ties.

Speaking at a joint press conference after their summit, Abe said that strategic relations with the Philippines have deepened, adding the two leaders agreed to “further strengthen” their cooperation in security and areas such as disaster relief.

Abe said that he also explained the country’s policy of “active pacifist,” relaxed weapon exports principles and study on exercising collective self-defense right and reinterpreting its war-renouncing constitution to Aquino.

The two leaders also agreed to boost their economic relations so that the two countries may grow together, according to Abe.

Abe also told Aquino that Japan is relaxing visa requirement for the Filipinos and hoped many tourists from the Southeast Asia country could visit Japan.

For his part, Aquino expressed appreciation to Japan for its supports after the super typhoon Haiyan last year, adding the country’s relation with Japan has improved, despite Japan’s aggression to the Philippines during the WWII.

Aquino further said that his country support Japan’s move on lifting its self-imposed ban on collective self-defense rights and reinterpretation of the country’s pacifist war-renouncing constitution.

After meeting with Abe in Tokyo, Aquino will visit Hiroshima for a meeting on the peace process on Mindanao Island in southern Philippines.