Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 2) — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will discuss the West Philippine Sea issue during the latter’s official visit this week, according to the Palace.

Citing a statement from the Department of Foreign Affairs, Malacañang said Thursday that Kishida would be in the Philippines from Friday to Saturday for his bilateral meeting with Marcos.The meeting seeks to strengthen both nations’ cooperation on political, security, economic, and people-to-people relations, it said.“Among the specific issues to be discussed are the West Philippine Sea, trade and investment, and Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA). They will also exchange views on major regional, international, and United Nations issues affecting the region and the world,” Malacañang said.Kyodo News earlier quoted sources as saying that during Kishida’s visit to Manila, he and Marcos are expected to green-light negotiations on a “reciprocal access agreement (RAA)” that would facilitate the presence of visiting forces.

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. previously said that the RAA would allow the Philippines and Japan to deploy their military forces into each other’s territory for training and other operations.