Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr (left) and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida attend a press conference after their talks at the prime minister's official residence in Tokyo, on Feb 9, 2023. (PHOTO / AP)

MANILA - President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said on Sunday he saw no reason why the Philippines should not have a Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with Japan if it would boost maritime security and ensure greater protection for Filipino fishermen.

Marcos, however, also told reporters he would exercise care in pursuing a potential pact with Tokyo "because we do not want to appear provocative."

Marcos' first visit to Japan since taking office came after he recently granted the United States access to additional military bases in the Philippines under a VFA. 

The VFA provides rules for the rotation of thousands of US troops in and out of the Philippines for exercises.

"If it will be of help to the Philippines in terms of protecting, for example our fishermen, protecting our maritime territory ... I don't see why we should not adopt it (VFA)," Marcos told reporters before returning home on Sunday, according to an official transcript.

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I always think about the need to protect our fishermen. We need to show clearly we are patroling our waters and making sure that our maritime territory is clearly recognized.

Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Philippine President

Manila will also review a proposed trilateral defense and security deal with Japan and the US as part of a “continuing and ongoing process” in pursuing alliances with other nations. Marcos said the tripartite agreement is something that will definitely be assessed upon his return to the Philippines.

The proposed trilateral defense and security agreement between the Philippines and its two allies was among the issues discussed during Marcos’ bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida last Thursday.

Marcos was in Japan for a five-day visit, to forge closer security ties with Tokyo, which in December announced its biggest military-build up since World War II.

Marcos and Kishida penned a deal to allow their armed forces to work together during disaster relief, an agreement seen as a step towards a broader pact that could allow the countries to deploy forces on each other's soil.

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"I always think about the need to protect our fishermen. We need to show clearly we are patroling our waters and making sure that our maritime territory is clearly recognized," Marcos said.

The Philippines has a VFA with the United States, while Tokyo has VFAs with Australia and Britain, and also hosts the biggest concentration of US forces abroad.

Japan held military exercises with the United States and the Philippines as recently as October.

Kishida said the Philippines and Japan had agreed to try and establish a framework that would "strengthen and smooth the process of holding joint exercises".

 With inputs from Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN