Japan expresses serious concern over repeated actions that obstruct freedom of navigation and escalate regional tensions, including recent incidents that damaged a Filipino vessel and injured Filipinos onboard.
Japan firmly believes that issues in the South China Sea directly impact regional peace and stability, making them legitimate concerns for the international community. Therefore, Japan opposes unilateral attempts to alter the status quo by force and any actions that escalate tensions in the region. This stance is underscored in the Joint Vision Statement from Japan, the Philippines, and the United States issued in April 2024, which also condemns unlawful maritime claims and the coercive use of Coast Guard and maritime militia vessels in the South China Sea.
Additionally, Japan commends the Philippines for consistently adhering to the Arbitral Tribunal’s ruling on disputes with China in the South China Sea. This commitment to peaceful dispute resolution was highlighted in a joint press statement between Japan and the Philippines in November 2023 and in statements by Japan’s Foreign Minister in July 2023 marking the award’s seventh anniversary.
The arbitral ruling is final and legally binding under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Japan strongly urges all parties to comply with the ruling, believing it will foster peaceful resolutions to disputes in the South China Sea.
Japan has consistently advocated for upholding the rule of law at sea and will continue cooperating with the international community, including ASEAN Member States and the United States, to safeguard the free and open international order based on the rule of law.
