Japan and the Philippines will enhance defense collaboration and discuss protecting shared military information in the face of Beijing’s increasingly aggressive actions in the Indo-Pacific.
Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro met in Manila to forge the plan amid shared concern over China’s actions in the disputed South China and East China seas.
Teodoro said the Philippines is eager to boost defense relations with Japan “against unilateral attempts by China and other countries to change the international order and the narrative.”
Nakatani said he and Teodoro agreed “to strengthen operational cooperation,” including joint and multinational defense training, port calls and information-sharing. “We also agreed to commence discussion between defense authorities on [a] military information protection mechanism,” he said.
Japan and the Philippines are treaty allies of the United States.
Manila and Washington in 2024 agreed to the secure exchange of military intelligence and technology to enable the Philippines to procure U.S. weapons. The nations also are boosting defense and military engagements, including large-scale joint combat drills.
Nakatani said he and Teodoro “firmly concurred that the security environment surrounding us is becoming increasingly severe and that it is necessary for the two countries as strategic partners to further enhance defense cooperation and collaboration in order to maintain peace and stability in [the] Indo-Pacific.”
Japan and the Philippines have condemned frequent territorial incursions by China Coast Guard ships in the East China and South China seas, respectively.
Nakatani and Teodoro also discussed “expansion of bilateral cooperation, especially in the context of the Reciprocal Access Agreement,” a 2024 deal that allows each nation’s forces to deploy to the other’s territory for training and exercises.
