Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (3-L) and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (2-R) talk in Tokyo, Japan, February 9, 2023. (Photo: REUTERS)

The maritime nations also penned a deal to allow their armed forces to work together during disaster relief operations, an agreement seen as a step towards a broader pact that could allow both countries to deploy forces on each other's soil.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said at a meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr in Tokyo, "In this year of complex international situations, Japan attaches great importance to cooperation with the Philippines.”

The disaster relief deal is seen as a possible precursor to establishing a visiting forces agreement that would allow Japanese forces to deploy to the Philippines more easily.

Tokyo has such pacts with Australia and Britain, and also hosts the biggest concentration of US forces abroad.

President Marcos last week signed a deal granting the US greater access to its military bases.