In a significant boost to their defense ties, Japan will export six used navy destroyers to the Philippines, Reuters reported on Sunday quoting Yomiuri newspaper.
Japan, Philippines Team Up on Naval Defense
According to the report, the move is aimed at helping Manila strengthen its maritime defenses in the face of China’s expanding presence in the South China Sea.
These ships are Abukuma-class destroyer escorts, which have served Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force for more than 30 years, the report said.
Inspections to Follow
Japan’s Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and the Philippines’ Defense Minister Gilberto Teodoro reached the deal for destroyers in a meeting last month in Singapore, the Yomiuri report said, quoting unidentified government officials.
Philippine authorities are likely to inspect the vessels in the coming summer as part of end-stage preparations. There was no immediate reaction from the Philippine military or China’s foreign ministry, according to Reuters.
Shared Challenges, Growing Cooperation
With the two nations, facing maritime pressure from China: Japan in the East China Sea and the Philippines in the South China Sea, Tokyo and Manila have reportedly intensified military ties with joint exercises, a package of radar assistance, and a historical reciprocal access agreement signed last year permitting troop deployment on each other’s soil.
Reforms to Avoid Bypassing Export Rules
Japan’s constitution restricts arms exports, but Tokyo will characterise the deployment of communications and equipment requested by the Philippines as a joint development project to avoid violating those limitations, the report further said, adding that the Abukuma-class ships — smaller, 2,000-ton vessels with 120 crewmen and anti-submarine and anti-ship weaponry — would provide a significant upgrade for the Philippine Navy, which has no destroyers.
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