MANILA, April 12 -- The Philippines and Japan will convene a '2+2' ministerial meeting this year to build on their rapidly growing economic and defense cooperation.

The announcement was made during the meeting of Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa on the margins of the historic trilateral leaders' summit of the Philippines, Japan, and the US on Thursday.

"The two Foreign Ministers discussed the Philippine-Japan Strategic Partnership and noted that the bilateral relations are currently at the highest level," the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said in a statement Friday.

"They also noted the deepened defense and security cooperation between the two countries through existing dialogue...