Reciprocal access agreement
{{Short description|Bilateral defense and security pact involving Japan}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
File:Reciprocal Access Agreement of Japan (RAA).png
A reciprocal access agreement (RAA) ({{Langx|ja|部隊間協力円滑化協定|lit=force-to-force cooperation facilitation agreement}}){{cite web |title=日英部隊間協力円滑化協定の署名 |trans-title=Signing of Japan-UK Reciprocal Access Agreement |publisher=Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan |date=January 11, 2023 | url=https://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/erp/we/gb/page1_001466.html}} refers to a bilateral defense and security pacts between governments that provides shared military training and military operations.{{Cite web |title=Japan-Australia Reciprocal Access Agreement |url=https://www.mofa.go.jp/a_o/ocn/au/page4e_001195.html |access-date=2022-12-08 |website=Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Australia, Japan sign ‘historic’ defence pact amid China concerns |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/1/6/australia-japan-sign-historic-defence-treaty-amid-chinas-rise |access-date=2022-12-08 |website=www.aljazeera.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Hui |first=Tan Ming |date=11 January 2022 |title=Japan and Australia ties blossom |url=https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/japan-australia-ties-blossom |access-date=2022-12-08 |website=Lowy Institute}}{{Cite news |date=2022-01-06 |title=Japan, Australia sign defence pact for closer cooperation |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/japan-australia-sign-defence-cooperation-pact-2022-01-06/ |access-date=2022-01-06}} It is an agreement built to create a framework for the two cooperating countries to move their military force whenever required, and also provides a pathway for goods to be imported and exported from one country to the other through following the movement of visiting military forces.
RAAs have been established between Japan and Australia, as well as Japan and the United Kingdom.{{Cite web |title=Japan Ministry of Defense |url=https://www.mod.go.jp/en/ |access-date=2022-12-08 |website=Japan Ministry of Defense |language=en}} For Australia, the signing of a reciprocal access agreement has later been used to further strengthen ties with other countries like India and the United States, and to also renew old pacts like the Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation (JDSC).{{Cite web |last=Yamagami |first=Shingo |date=2022-12-26 |title=By getting out in front on China, Australia led the world |url=https://www.afr.com/policy/foreign-affairs/by-getting-out-in-front-on-china-australia-led-the-world-20221227-p5c8wi |access-date=2023-01-12 |website=Australian Financial Review |language=en}}
Active
The following RAAs have been signed and are currently active.
=Japan and Australia=
Discussions over signing of the Japan-Australia Reciprocal Access Agreement ({{langx|ja|日豪円滑化協定}}), officially Agreement between Japan and Australia concerning the facilitation of reciprocal access and cooperation between the Self-Defense Forces of Japan and the Australian Defence Force{{cite web |title=Japan-Australia Reciprocal Access Agreement |publisher=Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan |date=January 6, 2022 |url=https://www.mofa.go.jp/a_o/ocn/au/page4e_001195.html}}{{cite web |title=日豪円滑化協定の署名 |trans-title=Signing of Japan-Australia Reciprocal Access Agreement |publisher=Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan |date=January 6, 2022 |url=https://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/a_o/ocn/au/page4_005481.html}} began in 2014 and was to be the second significant security pact Japan has made with another country ever since the 1960 Status of Forces Agreement with the United States. It was signed during a virtual summit on 6 January 2022 by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison after the former declined all overseas travel due to the increasing COVID-19 cases at the time.
The pact has since then risen in prominence against the recent geopolitical tension and increasing competition in the Indo-Pacific space. Japan and Australia have shared concerns over China's growing maritime activities in the South China Sea, along with the concerns over a potential conflict with the Chinese Communist Party.{{Cite news |last=Takenaka |first=Kiyoshi |last2=Park |first2=Ju-Min |date=2020-11-17 |title=Japan, Australia reach agreement-in-principle on defence pact amid concerns over disputed South China Sea |language=en-CA |work=The Globe and Mail |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-australia-japan-look-to-bolster-defence-ties-amid-chinas-rise/ |access-date=2022-12-08}} This was later exacerbated by China's imposement of economic and diplomatic sanctions in response to Australia's call for promoting and inquiry into the origins of the COVID-19 virus.{{Cite news |title=China punishes Australia for promoting an inquiry into covid-19 |work=The Economist |url=https://www.economist.com/asia/2020/05/21/china-punishes-australia-for-promoting-an-inquiry-into-covid-19 |access-date=2023-01-12 |issn=0013-0613}}
On 22 October 2022, Prime Ministers Anthony Albanese of Australia and Kishida Fumio further used the RAA to revise an old pact known as the Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation (JDSC).{{Cite web |last=Walton |first=David |last2=Akimoto |first2=Daisuke |date=October 25, 2022 |title=What’s New in Australia and Japan’s Updated Joint Declaration of Security Cooperation? |url=https://thediplomat.com/2022/10/whats-new-in-australia-and-japans-updated-joint-declaration-of-security-cooperation/ |url-access=limited |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221025155052/https://thediplomat.com/2022/10/whats-new-in-australia-and-japans-updated-joint-declaration-of-security-cooperation/ |archive-date=25 October 2022 |access-date=2022-12-08 |website=The Diplomat |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=MOFA: Japan-Australia Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation |url=https://www.mofa.go.jp/region/asia-paci/australia/joint0703.html |access-date=2022-12-08 |website=www.mofa.go.jp}} The initial JDSC was signed back in 2007 and signed by Prime Ministers John Howard and Abe Shinzo, in part as a response to the growing security ties in the wake of the September 11 attacks. It was initially a non-binding security agreement, but the revision has made it a binding treaty between the two countries, and has allowed a more efficient utilization of the RAA.{{Cite news |date=2022-10-18 |title=Japan, Australia to seek security agreement when premiers meet this week -Nikkei |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/japan-australia-seek-security-agreement-when-premiers-meet-this-week-nikkei-2022-10-18/ |url-status=live |url-access=registration |access-date=2023-01-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221019122600/https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/japan-australia-seek-security-agreement-when-premiers-meet-this-week-nikkei-2022-10-18/ |archive-date=19 October 2022}}
The Japan Australia RAA has also been used as a stepping stone to strengthen the ties between India and the United States, which formed an official grouping with Japan and Australia known as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or simply "The Quad".{{Cite web |title=The Quad: An emerging multilateral security framework of democracies in the Indo-Pacific region {{!}} Think Tank {{!}} European Parliament |url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/EPRS_BRI(2021)690513 |access-date=2022-12-08 |website=www.europarl.europa.eu |language=en}} This group was initially formed in 2004 after the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004. There was initially some discussion over forming joint military exercises between the four nations back in 2007, but that was later scrapped due to heavy criticism from China. This was later rectified in 2020, with the four nations holding their first joint military exercise. This was done in part due to the growing concerns over Beijing's actions in backing Moscow and their distancing from the West.{{Cite news |last=Gale |first=Alastair |date=24 May 2022 |title=Quad Members Have Eyes on China, No Collective Comment on Russia |work=The Wall Street Journal |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/quad-members-have-eyes-on-china-no-collective-comment-on-russia-11653382094}}
=Japan and the United Kingdom=
{{main|:ja:日英円滑化協定}}
On 5 May 2022, during an in-person meeting in Downing Street, United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Kishida agreed to begin discussions over signing an agreement similar to the RAA between Australia and Japan.{{Cite web |title=Japan, UK to sign military agreement next month |url=https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2022/11/14/kylf-n14.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241217070215/https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2022/11/14/kylf-n14.html |archive-date=2024-12-17 |access-date=2022-12-08 |website=World Socialist Web Site |language=en}}{{cite news |date=5 May 2022 |title=UK and Japan sign military agreement amid Russia concerns |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-61329435 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220506145549/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-61329435 |archive-date=6 May 2022 |access-date=5 May 2022 |publisher=BBC News}}{{cite news |date=5 May 2022 |title=Japan, U.K. agree on defense pact amid China's rise in Indo-Pacific |url=https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2022/05/7323f9ef85f8-urgent-japan-britain-agree-on-defense-cooperation-pact.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241217070445/https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2022/05/7323f9ef85f8-urgent-japan-britain-agree-on-defense-cooperation-pact.html |archive-date=17 December 2024 |access-date=5 May 2022 |publisher=Kyodo News}}{{cite news |date=5 November 2022 |title=Japan to sign military pact with UK as allies eye China threat |url=https://www.ft.com/content/6ea15304-551b-4161-af6c-38cccf56d40d |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20221110015557/https://www.ft.com/content/6ea15304-551b-4161-af6c-38cccf56d40d |archive-date=10 November 2022 |access-date=5 November 2022 |publisher=Financial Times}} Similar to the original Japan Australia RAA, this was done to both ease the hosting of joint military exercises and to simplify the process of bringing troops from one country to another. In addition, this new agreement has allowed Japan to jointly develop a next-generation fighter jet. This would be the first time Japan has worked on a major military project with another country other than the United States.{{Cite news |date=2022-05-05 |title=UK and Japan sign military agreement amid Russia concerns |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-61329435 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220506145549/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-61329435 |archive-date=2022-05-06 |access-date=2023-01-12 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}
On the 11 January 2023, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak signed the Japan-UK Reciprocal Access Agreement ({{Langx|ja|日英部隊間協力円滑化協定}}), officially Agreement between Japan and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concerning the facilitation of reciprocal access and cooperation between the Self-Defense Forces of Japan and the Armed Forces of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland during Kishida's visit to London{{Cite web |last=Daly |first=Patrick |date=11 January 2023 |title=Rishi Sunak and Japanese PM to agree closer defence links at Tower of London |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/tower-of-london-rishi-sunak-japanese-london-prime-minister-b1052136.html |access-date=11 January 2023 |website=Evening Standard |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Smout |first=Alistair |date=2023-01-11 |title=Britain, Japan sign defence pact during PM Kishida visit to London |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/britain-japan-sign-defence-pact-during-pm-kishida-visit-london-2023-01-11/ |access-date=2023-01-12}} that will allow both nations to deploy troops in each other's countries. The UK will be the first European country to have such a reciprocal access agreement with Japan, with the UK government describing the pact as the most important of its type since the 1902 Anglo-Japanese Alliance.{{cite web |last=Daly |first=Patrick |date=11 January 2023 |title=Rishi Sunak and Japanese PM to agree closer defence links at Tower of London |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/tower-of-london-fumio-kishida-rishi-sunak-japanese-london-b2259790.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241217070011/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/tower-of-london-fumio-kishida-rishi-sunak-japanese-london-b2259790.html |archive-date=17 December 2024 |access-date=11 January 2023 |website=The Independent |language=en}}
=Japan and the Philippines=
On 3 November 2023, Japan and the Philippines announced that they had begun talks for a Reciprocal Access Agreement.{{cite news |date=2023-11-04 |title=Japan and Philippines agree to take defense ties to next level |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/11/04/japan/politics/japan-philippines-fumio-kishida-raa-osa/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231104090912/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/11/04/japan/politics/japan-philippines-fumio-kishida-raa-osa/ |archive-date=2023-11-04 |access-date=2023-11-08 |work=The Japan Times |language=en}}{{cite news |date=2023-11-03 |title=Philippines, Japan announce negotiations for key defence pact |url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20231103-philippines-japan-announce-negotiations-for-key-defence-pact |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241217064336/https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20231103-philippines-japan-announce-negotiations-for-key-defence-pact |archive-date=2024-12-17 |access-date=2023-11-08 |work=France 24 |language=en}} On 6 November 2023, Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro stated that his country wanted to reach an agreement "at the soonest possible time".{{Cite news |date=November 6, 2023 |title=Philippines aiming to seal "reciprocal" troop pact with Japan |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/philippines-hopes-seal-troops-pact-with-japan-soon-2023-11-06/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231106231434/https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/philippines-hopes-seal-troops-pact-with-japan-soon-2023-11-06/ |archive-date=November 6, 2023 |access-date=December 17, 2024 |newspaper=Reuters}}
On 8 July 2024, Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa signed the Philippines-Japan Reciprocal Access Agreement ({{Langx|ja|日フィリピン部隊間協力円滑化協定}}), officially the Agreement between Japan and the Republic of the Philippines Concerning the Facilitation of Reciprocal Access and Cooperation between the Self-Defense Forces of Japan and the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the first RAA negotiated with a Southeast Asian nation.{{Cite news |last=Flores |first=Helen |date=July 9, 2024 |title=Philippines, Japan ink military access agreement |url=https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2024/07/09/2368809/philippines-japan-ink-military-access-agreement |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241217063836/https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2024/07/09/2368809/philippines-japan-ink-military-access-agreement |archive-date=December 17, 2024 |access-date=December 17, 2024 |newspaper=The Philippine Star}}{{Cite web |last=Gomez |first=Jim |last2=Nuga |first2=Haruka |date=8 July 2024 |title=Japan and the Philippines sign a defense pact in the face of shared alarm over China |url=https://apnews.com/article/japan-philippines-reciprocal-access-agreement-0e37d57563d475d7507f1647b440e4c2 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240727075644/https://apnews.com/article/japan-philippines-reciprocal-access-agreement-0e37d57563d475d7507f1647b440e4c2 |archive-date=27 July 2024 |access-date=17 December 2024 |publisher=Associated Press}} It would take effect after ratification by the countries' legislatures, Philippine and Japanese officials said.{{cite news|date=2024-07-08|title=PBBM highlights importance of defense ties with Japan with the signing of PH-Japan Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA)|language=en|work=Presidential Communications Office|url=https://pco.gov.ph/news_releases/pbbm-highlights-importance-of-defense-ties-with-japan-with-the-signing-of-ph-japan-reciprocal-access-agreement-raa/}}{{cite news|date=2024-07-08|title=Philippines, Japan sign military access pact|language=en|work=Rappler|url=https://www.rappler.com/philippines/japan-sign-military-access-pact-july-2024/}}
On 16 December 2024, the RAA was signed officially and unanimously ratified by the Philippine Senate (Resolution No. 1248).{{cite news |last1=Abarca |first1=Charie Mae |date=December 17, 2024 |title=Senate ratifies historic PH-Japan RAA |url=https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2016138/senate-ratifies-historic-ph-japan-raa |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241217065159/https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2016138/senate-ratifies-historic-ph-japan-raa |archive-date=December 17, 2024 |accessdate=December 17, 2024 |work=Philippine Daily Inquirer}} The RAA was approved by the Diet on June 6, 2025.https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20250606/p2g/00m/0na/039000c
Proposed
The following agreements are currently being negotiated.
=France and Japan=
On 20 January 2022, Japan and France held a meeting to bolster military cooperation in response to China's actions in the South China Sea and North Korea's advancing nuclear and missiles development.{{cite web |title=Sixth Japan-France Foreign and Defense Ministers' Meeting |url=https://www.mofa.go.jp/press/release/press4e_003078.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241217064616/https://www.mofa.go.jp/press/release/press4e_003078.html |archive-date=2024-12-17 |access-date=2022-12-08 |website=Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan |language=en}}{{cite news |last=Takenaka |first=Kiyoshi |date=2022-01-20 |title=France and Japan face 'tougher' Indo-Pacific security situation, minister says |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/japan-french-ministers-discuss-deeper-indo-pacific-cooperation-thursday-2022-01-20/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220120145026/https://www.reuters.com/world/japan-french-ministers-discuss-deeper-indo-pacific-cooperation-thursday-2022-01-20/ |archive-date=2022-01-20 |access-date=2022-12-08 |work=Reuters |language=en}}{{cite news |date=13 December 2021 |title=Japan, France begin informal talks on access deal for joint drills |url=https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/12/c5a71dda1d3c-japan-france-begin-informal-talks-on-access-deal-for-joint-drills.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241217065423/https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/12/c5a71dda1d3c-japan-france-begin-informal-talks-on-access-deal-for-joint-drills.html |archive-date=17 December 2024 |access-date=17 December 2024 |work=Kyodo News}}
=South Korea and the United Kingdom=
On 20 November 2023, South Korea and the UK signed the Downing Street accord which exponentially increases military cooperation between the two countries.{{cite news |date=2023-11-20 |title=UK and South Korea to agree new partnership to redefine and strengthen ties for next generation |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-and-south-korea-to-agree-new-partnership-to-redefine-and-strengthen-ties-for-next-generation |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241217065626/https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-and-south-korea-to-agree-new-partnership-to-redefine-and-strengthen-ties-for-next-generation |archive-date=2024-12-17 |access-date=2024-02-18 |work=GOV.UK}} It has been proposed that the two countries should forge an institutionalized agreement, modeled after the Japan-UK Reciprocal Access Agreement, to build upon the Downing Street accord further.{{cite news |last=Shin |first=Francis |date=2023-12-07 |title=What's Next for the South Korea-UK Relationship? |url=https://thediplomat.com/2023/12/whats-next-for-the-south-korea-u-k-relationship/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240404175316/https://thediplomat.com/2023/12/whats-next-for-the-south-korea-u-k-relationship/ |archive-date=2024-04-04 |access-date=2024-02-18 |work=The Diplomat}}