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Japan, Philippines agree to sharply boost defense ties

The defence arrangement signed by Marcos and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will allow Japanese troops to join training exercises to respond to natural disasters and humanitarian needs in the Philippines.

AP

Last year, the two island nations held their first four-way security talks among their ministers and agreed to strengthen their defence ties.

The leaders of Japan and the Philippines have agreed to sharply boost their defence ties, allowing Japanese troops greater access to Philippine territory, as tensions rise in Asia amid China’s growing influence.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Junior is visiting Japan on Thursday shortly after he and US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin reached an agreement on allowing the United States more access to Philippine military bases to keep China’s territorial ambitions in check.

The agreement is seen as a step toward broader military cooperation and could lead to similar agreements between Japan and other Southeast Asian nations.

Kishida said the two countries will continue talks to further strengthen and streamline their militaries' joint exercises and other operations, while seeking to expand the transfer of Japanese defence equipment and technology to the Philippines and strengthen cooperation trilaterally with the United States.

“After our meeting, I can confidently say that our strategic partnership is stronger than ever as we navigate together the rough waters buffeting our region,” Marcos said at a joint news conference with Kishida.

Leaders 'resolved' to cooperate

The new defence agreement allows Japan to deploy its forces for humanitarian missions and disaster response in the Philippines, an arrangement Japan hopes to eventually upgrade to include joint military training, cooperation and mutual visits, Japanese officials said.

The two leaders “resolved” to increase the defence capabilities of their own countries and strengthen overall security cooperation with reciprocal port calls and aircraft visits and the transfer of more defence equipment and technology, according to a joint statement released later Thursday.

It said Japan will transfer air surveillance radar systems to the Philippines and provide related personnel training.

They “expressed serious concerns about the situation in the East and China Seas and strongly opposed the actions including force or coercion that may increase tensions," the statement said.

Kishida and Marcos also agreed to strengthen cyber and economic security. They also confirmed Japan’s continuing assistance to the Philippine coast guard in reinforcing its capabilities, including the improvement of port facilities at Subic Bay, a former US naval base.

New strategy

Last year, the two island nations held their first four-way security talks among their defence and foreign ministers and agreed to strengthen their defence ties.

Kishida’s government in December adopted key security and defence upgrades, including a counterstrike capability that breaks from Japan’s post-World War II principle of self-defence only, while also doubling defence spending in five years.

Under the new strategy, Japan will also use development assistance to support poorer nations as they strengthen their maritime safety and other security capabilities. It ’s meant to counter China’s growing regional influence.

Japan has been expanding its military cooperation in recent years beyond its main ally, the United States, forging close ties with Australia and other countries in the Asia-Pacific region and Europe.