Japan and the Philippines on Monday signed a key agreement that would facilitate mutual military visits, as the US allies tighten their defense ties amid lingering tensions with China.Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

The Philippines hailed an "unprecedented" high in defence ties with Japan after the signing on Monday of a landmark military pact allowing deployment of forces on each other's soil in the face of China's increasingly assertive stance in the region.

Leaders of the House of Representatives on Wednesday lauded the recent signing of the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) between the Philippines and Japan as it could serve as building blocks of diplomacy and cooperation for future bilateral agreements with other countries.