Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koshikawa Kazuhiko said Thursday he is hoping to see more maritime security collaborations between Tokyo, Manila and Washington as the three nations rolled out their trilateral exercises in the hotly-contested South China Sea.
Kazuhiko said the arrival of Japanese and US coast guard ships at the Port of Manila to join their Filipino counterpart for week-long maritime drills in the waters off Bataan starting June 1 “marks a major milestone” for the ties of the three countries.
"It is an honor to join like-minded nations as we voyage towards our common goal of safer waters and a Free and Open Indo-Pacific!" the ambassador said in a Twitter post.
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According to the Japanese Embassy in Manila, Tokyo would deploy its Akitsushima (PLH-32) for the exercise to join the Philippine Coast Guard’s BRP Melchora Aquino (MRRV-9702), BRP Gabriela Silang (OPV-8301), BRP Boracay (FPB-2401), and one 44-meter multi-role response vessel (MRRV) and the US Coast Guard’s USCGC Stratton (WMSL-752).
Attending the arrival ceremony on Thursday, the embassy’s Charge d’Affaires, Matsuda Kenichi, said Japan participated in the exercises as it “places considerable emphasis in supporting the area of maritime security.”
“As a maritime nation, Japan has a stake to uphold and protect a rule-based maritime order,” he said, as China continues its aggressive actions in the South China Sea, including doing incursions into other countries’ exclusive economic zone.
“Hence, modernizing PCG facilities and equipment as well as supporting its human resource development is at the forefront of Japan’s long-standing initiative,” Matsuda added.
Matsuda said the trilateral joint exercise between Japan, the Philippines and the United States is “the first in the history” as the three nations share fundamental principles and values that serve as foundation to create a peaceful, prosperous and stable region based on the rule of law.
“As we sail towards in creating a rules-based international order, this opportune trilateral exercise opens a path towards a brighter and peaceful world for all our peoples,” he added.