Japan joins Philippines, US to counter Chinese military in South China Sea

As he pledged to support the improvement of Manila’s security capabilities, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida stated on Saturday that his nation, the Philippines, and the United States were working together to preserve the freedom of the South China Sea.

During an official visit, Kishida stated in front of the Philippine Congress in Manila that “trilateral cooperation to protect the freedom of the sea is under way” in the South China Sea.

As China grows more assertive in the South China Sea, Kishida and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. decided on Friday to begin talks on a reciprocal troop access agreement to enhance military cooperation.

Amid long-standing disputes over maritime sovereignty, the Philippines and Japan, two of the US’s closest Asian allies, have taken a firm stance against what they perceive to be aggressive behaviour by Chinese vessels.

According to Kyodo News on Saturday, which cited an unidentified senior government official from Japan, the radars will be installed in five different locations along the Philippine coast.

The report stated that the radars would be of a fixed type and utilised for coastal surveillance by the Filipino navy; however, it did not provide additional information regarding their intended placement.

On Saturday, before departing Manila for Malaysia, Kishida stopped at the Philippine Coast Guard.

A collision occurred in the disputed South China Sea last month, resulting in accusations being exchanged between China and the Philippines. Chinese vessels had blocked Philippine boats that were supplying forces in the area.

Nearly the whole South China Sea is under Chinese sovereignty, including a portion of the exclusive economic zones of Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei. In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration declared that China’s claims lacked legal support. Although it has a maritime dispute with China in the East China Sea, Japan has no claim to the South China Sea.

Japan saw U.S.-Philippine military exercises in March, and the coast guards of the Philippines and Japan conducted their first joint training exercise in June.

As Japan seeks to counter China’s growing military might, Kishida unveiled Japan’s largest military build-up in December.

“Through these efforts, let us protect the maritime order, which is governed by laws and rules, not by force,” Kishida said.

According to Kishida, Japan has decided to give the Philippines coastal surveillance radars as the first global cooperation project under its Official Security Assistance (OSA) programme. The goal of this project is to help Tokyo’s partner countries strengthen their deterrent capacities.

According to Kyodo News on Saturday, which cited an unidentified senior government official from Japan, the radars will be installed in five different locations along the Philippine coast.

The report stated that the radars would be of a fixed type and utilised for coastal surveillance by the Filipino navy; however, it did not provide additional information regarding their intended placement.

On Saturday, before departing Manila for Malaysia, Kishida stopped at the Philippine Coast Guard.

(With agency inputs)