MILITARY officials from the Philippines and Japan have reaffirmed their nations’ commitment to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
The two countries signed in July last year the Reciprocal Access Agreement which provides a legal framework for military exercises between Filipino and Japanese troops.
Rear Adm. Ikeuchi Izuru, commander of the Amphibious and Mine Warfare Force of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) met Tuesday with AFP vice chief Lt. Gen. Jimmy Larida at the Armed Forces’ general headquarters at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.
The engagement was aimed at “strengthening defense cooperation and maritime security collaboration between the Philippines and Japan,” the AFP said in a statement.
“The visit served as a platform to reaffirm both nations’ shared commitment to maintaining peace, stability, and freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific region,” it added.
Larida and Izuru discussed “mutual concerns on regional maritime challenges, capacity-building initiatives, and future avenues for joint exercises and military exchanges.”
Japanese Ambassador Endo Kazuya vowed to help the Philippines improve its air surveillance capabilities.
Kazuya made the commitment as he cited his visit last month to a surveillance site operated by the Philippine Air Force somewhere in the southern part of the country.
The surveillance site is equipped with a Japanese-made long range air defense radar, part of the multi-billion-peso acquisition of the Air Force for three fixed radars and one mobile radar and associated equipment.
“The said air surveillance radar system further strengthens the enduring and unwavering defense partnership between Japan and the Philippines,” Kazuya said in a statement, adding it was the second PAF surveillance site fitted with Japanese-made radar.
Last year, Tokyo provided Manila with P611 million worth of defense equipment, including coastal surveillance radars and boats, to ramp up the country’s capabilities in deterring threats to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region amid increasing Chinese aggression and harassment of Filipino vessels in the South China Sea.
Japan has also recently offered to provide six 2, 000-ton Abukuma class destroyer escort vessels to the Philippine Navy.
Prior to the acquisition of the Japanese-made radars, the PAF has purchased three long-range and one mobile radar system from Elta of Israel.
Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr and Maj. Gen. Robert Krushka, commander of the Joint Forces of the New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF), discussed “regional security dynamics” during a meeting last Monday at Camp Aguinaldo, the Department of National Defense said in a statement.
Teodoro and Krushka also explored “opportunities to strengthen defense cooperation, in line with the thrust of Marcos administration to further bolster the country’s international partnerships.”
“In addition to enhancing collaboration on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, Secretary Teodoro noted the potential involvement of the NZDF in activities under the quadrilateral cooperation among the Philippines, United States, Australia, and Japan once the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) enters into force,” the DND said.
“This could include participation in future iterations of both bilateral and multilateral military exercises,” the DND said.
Philippines and New Zealand signed a SOVFA last April. – With Ashzel Hachero
