日比、円滑化協定署名へ　来月８日に２プラス２

　木原稔防衛相は２８日の記者会見で、７月７、８両日にフィリピンを訪問し、外務・防衛担当閣僚協議（２プラス２）を開催すると発表した。中国の覇権主義的な動向を踏まえた連携を確認。自衛隊とフィリピン軍の相互訪問手続きを簡略化する「円滑化協定（ＲＡＡ）」に署名する見通しだ。
　日比２プラス２は約２年ぶり２回目。８日に開催する方向で、日本側は上川陽子外相と木原氏、フィリピン側はマナロ外相とテオドロ国防相が出席する。
　木原氏は「法の支配に基づく『自由で開かれたインド太平洋』の実現に向けて２国間、多国間の安全保障・防衛協力の一層の強化について議論したい」と述べた。（2024/06/28-13:00）

Japan and the Philippines are expected to sign a bilateral agreement on reciprocal troop access at a ministerial security meeting in the Philippines next month, people familiar with the matter said Friday.
   The agreement is designed to facilitate mutual visits by Japan's Self-Defense Forces and the Philippine military to each other's country.
   The two countries are expected to sign the agreement at a meeting of their foreign and defense ministers likely to take place in the Philippines on July 8.
   The meeting will bring together Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and Defense Minister Minoru Kihara from Japan and Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo and Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro from the Philippines.
   At the meeting, the ministers are also likely to confirm cooperation to counter China's assertiveness. It will be the second such meeting, after the first in April 2022.