Philippine President Benigno Aquino and the head of the country's main Muslim rebel group agreed during a secret meeting in Japan to speed up peace talks, the government said Friday. "Both agreed to fast track the negotiations," a Philippine government statement said after Aquino met Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) chairman Murad Ebrahim on Thursday near Tokyo's Narita airport. The government said it was the first time a Philippine president had met with the MILF chairman in 14 years of on-and-off peace negotiations.