MANILA and Tokyo are eyeing the holding of large-scale joint military exercises between the Philippine and Japanese armed forces similar to PH-US Balikatan in a bid to improve bilateral defense cooperation as they both expressed “serious concern” on the increasing tension in the South China and East China seas.
The prospect of a joint military training involving the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Japan Self-Defense Forces were among the issues discussed and agreed upon during the inaugural Japan-Philippines Foreign and Defense Ministerial Meeting (“2+2”) held in Tokyo on Saturday. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. had flown in to Tokto to meet with their Japanese counterparts, Hayashi Yoshimasa and Kishi Nobuo, respectively, on Saturday.
The dialogue came a day after President Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke during a teleconference.
During the 2+2 dialogue in Tokyo, the Philippine and Japanese foreign and defense ministers “expressed serious concern” about the East and South China Sea.
Without directly referring to China, the four ministers said they “strongly opposed actions that may increase tensions.”
Both Japan and China have a common security threat with the growing Chinese maritime presence. The Philippines has a long-running territorial dispute with China in the South China Sea, while Japan and China have overlapping claims in Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea.
“The Ministers concurred to start considering ways to further enhance and facilitate cooperation such as exercises between Japan Self-Defense Forces and the Armed Forces of the Philippines, including frameworks to facilitate their reciprocal visits as well as reciprocal provision of supplies and services in the field of logistical support,” the two sides said in a statement.
Aside from military exercises, both sides have agreed to reciprocal port calls and ship visits, transfer of more defense equipment and technology, and continuous cooperation on previously-transferred defense equipment.
Port calls and visits into the Philippines by Japanese navy vessels have increased during the past years as Tokyo also actively supports Manila’s effort to strengthen its maritime domain awareness capability, including its past donation of six maritime patrol planes to the Philippine military.
Japan has also attended previous iterations of the yearly Philippines-US Balikatan military exercise as an observer, along with Australia and Asean militaries.
During the 2 + 2 meeting, both countries also supported efforts to increase and improve their own defense capabilities and further strengthen overall defense relations through “defense capacity and capability building.”
Th statements said: “The Ministers underscored the importance of peace and stability in the region and the security of its seas. The Ministers reaffirmed their common commitment to freedom of navigation and overflight in the East and South China Seas, and a rules-based approach in resolving competing claims in maritime areas within the framework of international law, in particular Unclos.”
Japan concurred with the Philippines’ long standing objections to unlawful maritime claims, militarization, coercive activities and threat or use of force in the South China Sea.
The Japanese officials also expressed their support for the UN arbitral award on the South China Sea as their Filipino counterparts emphasized that the arbitral award on the South China Sea is “final and legally binding.”
The statement said both Japan and the Philippines called for the early conclusion of a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea “consistent with UNCLOS and not prejudicial to the legitimate rights of all stakeholders in the South China Sea.”
Likewise, both sides underscored the importance of each country’s respective treaty alliance with the United States and that of enhancing cooperation with regional partner countries.
Last year, the Philippines signed a contract to buy fixed, long-range air surveillance radars and a mobile air radar from Japan. Lorenzana and Minister Kishi noted that the transfer process for this radar system is “steady proceeding.”
The Philippines also procured its largest multi-response vessels from Japan, which are now being used by the Philippine Coast Guard in patrolling the West Philippine Sea.
Image credits: JAPAN FOREIGN MINISTRY