SHIN-YUU

July 21, 2024 Opinion

A Japanese word used to describe a close friend, best friend or a confidant. The word is also used to describe an intimate and long-term friendship relationship, where there is a strong emotional bond between two people. At a time when tensions and conflicts are at an all-time high all over the globe – the war in Ukraine, the Philippines and China conflict over the Western Philippine Sea (WPS), the Israeli-Hamas conflict in the Middle East, the Myanmar
rebellion, instability in Haiti, civil war in Sudan, war in Yemen, the Nagorno-Karabach conflict, the North Korea crisis, the conflict between India and Pakistan, and many others – the Philippines and Japan which were former enemies in the past world war welcomed each other with open arms and forged a new bilateral relationship anchored on mutual cooperative defense.

This new type of defense cooperation being pushed by Japan and called Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) entails
a much more simplistic approach in establishing mutual help between states against a perceived common enemy particularly when the proverbial s_ _ t hits the fan. It took several months of intense but comprehensive negotiations
between representatives of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Japan Self-Defense Forces (SDF) as well as top notch diplomats from both countries, and on July 8, 2024 they finally signed a landmark military pact that would in essence allow the deployment of military forces on each other’s territory and practically dampen any future aggressive actions on the part of China in relation to the WPS and in its assertive stance in the region.

The RAA is also the first of its kind that Japan has entered into with another Asian country. Previously Japan has entered into similar defense cooperation pacts with the United Kingdom and Australia and way back in 1960 it entered into a treaty of mutual cooperation and security with the United States which in effect allowed the presence of U.S. military bases on Japanese soil. Such mutual defense treaties reflect the establishment of closer ties between the parties involved and in the case of the Philippines and Japan reveal a mutual intent to advance a deeper and much more robust relationship akin to that of the best of friends in order to watch each other’s back against a common foe.

The RAA happened because China, in its quest for global dominance, both economically and militarily, kept on pursuing active measures that antagonized states such as the Philippines and Japan making the latter realize that the
only way to deter the assertiveness of China is to band together and become fast and close allies and thus present a united and strong front against the bully in this part of the region. China can of course continue with its coercive activities by applying its so -called gray zone tactics against Japan and the Philippines separately, but will now feel a bit more apprehensive knowing that the two countries can respond accordingly and in tandem against it using the RAA.

From a practical standpoint other countries in South East Asia, especially those with claims in the South China Sea/WPS should also strive to seriously consider banding together with Japan, the Philippines or with each other if only to effectively counter and put an end to China’s ambition in this part of the region. In fact if these countries involved in the WPS, with the exception of China, will establish their respective RAAs with Japan, the Philippines, with Australia, the US or even with each other China will definitely do a double take before continuing with its bullying in the WPS.

Having forged these alliances they can then exploit to their advantage the provisions of these treaties and seek out to further prevent the aggressive behavior of China in the South China Sea/WPS. Only by banding together and becoming allies, if not the best of friends, can nations such as Vietnam, the Philippines, Japan, as well as all other States with claims in the South China Sea/WPS, effectively contend and deter the aggressive posture of China. Working together to foster shin-yuu, through cooperative defense pacts, is the only way to achieve stability and a modicum of peace in the SouthEast Asia region.