Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani visited a military base in La Union province, north of the Philippines capital Manila, on Sunday (February 23) to inspect a mobile air surveillance radar system sent by Japan as part of a landmark defense pact agreed last year between the two countries.

Japan and the Philippines signed a 1.6 billion yen ($10.65 million) security assistance deal in December 2024 to boost the Southeast Asian nation's maritime security and surveillance abilities amid heightened tensions in the South China Sea.

And in July the two countries signed a landmark military pact allowing deployment of forces on each other's soil, smoothing military cooperation between the two countries.

READ: Philippines ratifies key defense pact with Japan

Both the Philippines and Japan, two of the United States' closest Asian allies, have taken a strong line against what they see as aggressive behavior by Chinese vessels amid decades-old disputes over maritime sovereignty.

On Sunday Nakatani was presenting the coastal radar systems under its Overseas Security Assistance program to enhance its maritime domain awareness capabilities.

The Philippine Air Force was also to receive equipment to support its air surveillance radar system, boosting monitoring capabilities.

Nakatani has met with his Filipino counterpart Gilbert Teodoro and is expected to hold a discussion to further enhance bilateral defense cooperation on Monday (February 24).

(Production: Jay Ereno, Peter Blaza)