Philippine marines march between Philippine and Japanese flags prior to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's (not pictured) arrival for a wreath-laying ceremony at Jose Rizal's monument in Manila on Nov. 3, 2023. Ted Aljbe, AFP/File

MANILA (UPDATED) -- Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani held a meeting in Makati City on Monday to explore ways in advancing the two countries' strategic defense partnership. 

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Teodoro discussed the shared values of a rules-based international order, explaining that a resilient partnership is needed against "unilateral attempts by China and other countries to change the international order and narrative." 

"A lot of enhancements and discussions have been done to move forward our already robust defense alliance," Teodoro told reporters in a press conference following the ministerial meeting. 

"We share a common cause of resisting any unilateral attempt to reshape the global order without the consent of the participants of this global order or any attempt to reshape international law by force," he added. 

"It is important that this partnership is proof of that common desire to have a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific, which will not only benefit countries per se, but ensure sustainability, environmental protection, livelihoods," he further said. 

The Philippines and Japan, both long-time allies of the United States, have taken a strong stance against China's assertion of its territorial claims in the region, including in the South China Sea and the East China Sea. 

Nakatani, meanwhile, said that an increasingly complex security environment in the region means Japan and the Philippines need to further enhance their defense ties. 

"We have concluded that the security environment around us is becoming increasingly severe and that it is necessary for the two countries as strategic partners to further enhance defense cooperation and collaboration to maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region," the Japanese defense minister said. 

He noted three areas where the two countries will deepen their bilateral cooperation: strengthening operational cooperation, enhancing people-to-people exchanges, and promoting defense equipment and technology cooperation. 

"We will deepen bilateral cooperation in three specific areas with a sense of speed: First, to strengthen operational cooperation. Having worked from the advancement of bilateral and multilateral trainings and exchanges, we agreed to establish a strategic dialogue between high level operational action officers and advance discussions for deeper information sharing," Nakatani said. 

He went on, "Second, to enhance people-to-people exchange. At the Wallace Air Station, I was able to meet the graduates of the Japanese Defense Academy and they are now serving in the Philippines. They play active roles at the Wallace Air Station." 

Nakatani continued, "And third, to further the promotion of defense equipment and technology cooperation. We also concurred the launch of a near high level dialogue with defense equipment authorities as well as the dispatch of Japanese public and private mission to the Philippines from the perspective of further advancing cooperation that are mutually beneficial." 

A reciprocal access agreement (RAA) between Manila and Tokyo is currently awaiting ratification in Japan, which would provide the basis for the cooperation between the troops of the two countries, similar to the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the Philippines and the US.

"The significant milestone was the signing of the reciprocal access agreement between Japan and the Philippines last year. We look forward to its ratification by the Japanese side this year so that we can get to the ground running at full speed," Teodoro said. 

PH, JAPAN DEFENSE LEADERS VISIT KEY MILITARY BASES

On Sunday, Teodoro and Nakatani visited key military bases in Luzon. 

Nakatani was given a guided tour of the operational capabilities and ongoing defense initiatives at the Basa Air Base in Floridablanca, Pampanga. 

Japan's defense minister visits air surveillance radar on PH military base

The two defense leaders inspected the fuel storage facility, air missile defense system training centers, hangars, and FA-50PH flight simulator at the air base. 

They also visited the Wallace Air Station in San Fernando, La Union, where the first fixed air surveillance radar system from Japan was installed.

The air surveillance radar system is part of the Philippine Air Force's (PAF) radar project with Japanese electronics firm Mitsubishi Electric Corporation amounting to P5.5 billion for four radar units—three fixed and one mobile. 

The mobile radar platform was also temporarily placed at the Wallace Air Station. 

"Any radar system right now, given we have an archipelagic country, is important because the domain extends far beyond our land borders and we have to know if there is any activity within our EEZ. It is extremely important, not only with the capabilities that the radars provided by Japan, some purchased by our government, but also our domain awareness capabilities… We definitely need to acquire more radars," the Philippine defense secretary told reporters in La Union.

According to Teodoro, the radar systems will further develop, enhance and sustain the Philippines' air and maritime domain awareness. 

"Domain awareness is extremely important so that we have a picture of what is happening in the airspace within our air defense identification zone," Teodoro said. 

He then continued, "If we are not aware, we will not know what threats exist. So, we are making our capabilities stronger and more precise." 

The PAF, in a press release sent to reporters on Sunday night, said another fixed radar from Japan was delivered to the Philippines in January this year. The radar system's final technical inspection and acceptance (TIA) is scheduled in May.

The last fixed radar is expected to be delivered in the fourth quarter of the year.

'CHINA NOT A CREDIBLE CITIZEN OF THE WORLD' – TEODORO 

Meanwhile, Teodoro slammed China after a People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy helicopter conducted dangerous maneuvers against a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) aircraft conducting a maritime domain awareness (MDA) flight over Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal last Tuesday.

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"It demonstrates that China is not a party that respects any form of international law of dependability or reliability. They have not been a credible citizen of the world, so to speak. And that is the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), their expansionism, their disregard of safety and the rights of smaller states is now for the world to see," Teodoro said. 

The defense secretary said China's continued aggression in the West Philippine Sea is among the reasons why the Philippines' alliance-building activities are being expedited. 

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"The final rounds of negotiations between New Zealand and the Philippines have already been concluded and all that is left is for the proper date to sign," Teodoro noted. 

"We are also in negotiations for a VFA with Canada and soon France, and with other like-minded nations," he added.

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