After Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's visit to the Philippines, the Philippine Ministry of Transportation announced on the 5th that the Coast Guard will receive an additional 5 large patrol vessels (MRRVs) with a total length of 97 meters through funding provided by Japan. The Philippine Ministry of Transportation emphasized that "the maritime security capabilities of the Philippines will be further enhanced.
The Philippine Ministry of Transport stated that, with the 12 ships already delivered, the total number of Japanese vessels assisting the Philippine Coast Guard reached 17. Philippine Transport Minister Jaime Bautista said that this will be part of the modernization efforts of the Coast Guard.
The Philippine Coast Guard mainly uses these vessels for maritime law enforcement, supply, and also for search and rescue missions, humanitarian assistance, and disaster response (HADR) work.
As the confrontation between the Philippines and China intensifies in the South China Sea, the United States and Japan have expressed strong support one after another. US President Joe Biden expressed his support for the Philippines as "rock solid" and reiterated his commitment to the US Philippines Joint Defense Treaty.
On November 4th, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida stated in a speech to the Philippine parliament, "In the South China Sea, trilateral cooperation to protect maritime freedom is ongoing
In his speech, Toyoto Kishida also mentioned that Japan has provided 12 patrol ships to the Philippines so far. "Japan will continue to help the Philippines improve its security capabilities and contribute to regional peace and stability.
After meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. last Friday, Toyoto Kishida also agreed to initiate negotiations on the signing of the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA). RAA can simplify the procedures for military visits and transportation of weapons and ammunition, promote interoperability between the two armies, and is considered a "quasi alliance" for defense cooperation.
The Philippines and Japan are the two closest Asian allies of the United States. If Japan and the Philippines sign the RAA, they will also significantly expand joint training among the three countries, including the United States, to enhance deterrence.
Regarding the situation in the South China Sea, the Philippine Coast Guard, the US Coast Guard, and the Japanese Coast Guard launched their first "KAAGAPAY" trilateral maritime exercise in June this year to strengthen joint operations and safeguard maritime security. In October of this year, the Japanese Self Defense Force sent personnel to participate in the United States Philippines joint naval exercise hosted by the Philippines, highlighting the close cooperation relationship.
The Philippines and China collided with each other in late October, accusing each other of escalating tensions due to their actions. At the end of last month, the two militaries faced off again around the Scarborough Shoal (also known as Huangyan Island in China), accusing the other party of "invading the sea".
Regarding the deterioration of relations with China, Philippine Defense Minister Gilberto Teodoro stated at the end of last month that the Philippines will strengthen multilateral activities in the South China Sea, including free navigation patrols. He also said that after the collision between the Philippines and China, he hopes more countries will "join our struggle".
After his visit to the Philippines, Mansuo Kishida went on to visit Malaysia. On the 5th, he held talks with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and reached an agreement on promoting defense cooperation. Both sides confirmed that they will accelerate coordination for the implementation of Japan's friendly support framework, "Government Security Capability Enhancement Support" (OSA).