Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario have agreed to reinforce bilateral cooperation in maritime security, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry.

The two officials met in Hiroshima on April 11 on the sidelines of a ministerial meeting on nuclear disarmament.

Kishida also expressed Japan's support for the Philippines' recent filing with a UN tribunal of a maritime case against China, in accordance with the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The Philippines' pursuit of a peaceful resolution to the dispute in the East Sea by filing the case is grounded on the rule of law, Kishida told reporters.-VNA