Japan allots P611M worth of defense equipment to PH

Japan is providing the Philippines with P611 million worth of defense equipment, such as surveillance radars and boats, to ramp up the country’s capabilities “to deter threats to peace, stability, and security” in the Indo-Pacific region.

The funding under Tokyo’s Official Security Assistance (OSA) for fiscal year 2024 to March 2025 highlights Japan’s commitment to its strategic partnership with Manila at a time of heightened conflicts between China and the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea, particularly in the Ayungin Shoal (Second Thomas Shoal) and in Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal).

Funding will cover the provision of surveillance radar systems for the Philippine Air Force and the rigid-hulled inflatable boats and coastal radar system equipment and automatic identification systems for C-90 aircraft for the Philippine Navy.

“We sincerely hope that the provision of these items will be of great use for our friends facing strategic challenges,” Japanese Ambassador Endo Kazuya said in his remarks during Thursday’s signing and exchange of notes in Manila with Philippine Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo.

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. also attended the ceremony.

Facing vital sea lanes, such as the disputed South China Sea and the Luzon Strait, Endo said the Philippines plays an important role in regional security.

"As we strengthen our support towards the Philippines, we also hope to contribute to the security and stability of the region —ultimately driving towards a free and open Indo-Pacific,” the envoy said.

Philippine vessels have repeatedly encountered aggressive and dangerous maneuvers by the Chinese Guard within its waters in the West Philippine Sea, which Beijing also claims are causing collisions and injuries to Filipino personnel.

Apart from Japan, the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, in a meeting with counterparts in Manila in July, said Washington is providing additional $500 million in military funding to shore up the Philippines’ defense capability as Washington and Manila face shared concern over an increasingly aggressive China.

In a separate statement, the Department of Foreign Affairs said the assistance—the second OSA since 2023—reflects the two countries’ shared commitment to maritime stability and regional peace.

“It will support the Department of National Defense and Armed Forces of the Philippines’ efforts in securing the Philippines and improving the country’s capabilities to deter threats to peace, stability, and security in the Indo-Pacific region,” it said.

On Wednesday, the China Coast Guard blasted water cannon and rammed a vessel of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and a Philippine Coast Guard ship conducting routine maritime patrol in the vicinity of Bajo de Masinloc.

The Chinese Embassy in Manila, however, said Philippine vessels had attempted to intrude into Chinese territorial waters off Huangyan Dao, China's name for Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal.

It claimed that CCG forces had acted lawfully to control the situation.

China's increasingly assertive actions in the waters prompted serious concerns and condemnations from several countries, including Manila’s treaty ally, the United States, Japan, the European Union, France, New Zealand, and Finland.

Japan reiterated its serious concern over China’s action, saying it “opposes any actions that increase tensions” in the area.

OSA is a grant aid cooperation framework that provides equipment and supplies as well as assistance for the development of infrastructure for armed forces and other related organizations of recipient countries, Japan’s embassy in Manila said.

“All of these elements are aimed at safeguarding Philippine sovereignty and securing national territory through improving its Maritime Domain Awareness capabilities and monitoring and surveillance capabilities,” Endo said.

“The collaborative spirit embodied in this effort highlights Japan’s determination to ensure that peace and prosperity continue to thrive across the region and beyond for generations to come.” — VBL, GMA Integrated News