Japan and the Philippines sign a defense pact in the face of shared alarm over China

Associated Press

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Japan and the Philippines have signed a defense pact allowing Japanese forces to deploy in the Southeast Asian country for joint military exercises, including live-fire drills. The Philippines was under a brutal Japanese occupation in World War II but is now building an alliance with Tokyo as they face an increasingly assertive China. The agreement similarly allows Filipino forces to enter Japan for joint combat training. The defense pact with the Philippines, which includes live-fire drills, is the first to be forged by Japan in Asia. China is warning Japan it should “seriously reflect on its history of aggression” in the region.