Manila, May 29 -- Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya and his Philippine counterpart, Enrique Manalo, agreed Wednesday to deepen cooperation between the two countries and the United States to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific.

The top diplomats agreed to hold maritime consultations and a vice-ministerial strategic dialogue by the end of this year.

They welcomed the start of discussions on an information protection agreement and negotiations on an acquisition and cross-servicing agreement, following a summit between Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. last month.

Iwaya and Manalo also confirmed their cooperation to help Japanese-Filipinos who were left behind in the Philippines aft...