Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has called on the Philippines to bolster its ties with Japan toward the goal of maintaining a free and open international order based on the rule of law amid China's intensifying maritime activities.

Kishida addressed a joint session of the Philippines' Congress on Saturday, becoming the first Japanese prime minister to do so. He was on an official visit to the Southeast Asian country from Friday.

Kishida said the international community is at a historical turning point, where the rules-based international order is under serious threat.

He urged the lawmakers to share a commitment to advance efforts to lead the world toward cooperation rather than division and confrontation so as to staunchly defend freedoms and the rule of law.

He told the Congress that Japan and the Philippines have agreed on Tokyo's provision of costal surveillance radars under its Official Security Assistance framework.

He said Japan intends to deepen bilateral security cooperation and also bolster trilateral collaboration involving the United States.

Kishida pledged to present a common vision to create a sustainable and prosperous future at a special summit of Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, to be held in Tokyo next month.

He said he will also host a summit meeting of the "Asia Zero Emission Community" in order to achieve de-carbonization of Asia.

Source：NHK