Two Japanese navy vessels arrived in Manila on Friday, Aug. 25, for a five-month-long maritime exercises among Japanese, Filipino, American and Australian troops to show Japan's allied countries' deterrence against challenges in the Indo-Pacific region.
JS Izumo (DDH-183) and JS Samidare (DD-106) docked at the Manila South Harbor to take part in the Indo-Pacific Deployment (IPD) Exercises 2023.
According to the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) website, the exercises started on April 20 and will run until September 17, 2023.
Named after a Japanese province, Izumo is a light aircraft carrier—a multi-purpose operation destroyer—that is the lead ship in the Izumo class of the JMSDF.
Meanwhile, Samidare is the sixth Murasame-class destroyer belonging to the JMSD that was commissioned on 21 March 2000.
The two vessels have around 880 personnel in total, according to JMSDF.
The vessels' visit "is in line with Japan's firm commitment in working together with regional partners, and to demonstrate our interoperability and combined capabilities to ultimately achieve the vision of a 'Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP),'" the Japanese Embassy in Manila said.
The drills have two objectives, according to JMSDF. They are:
• To improve JMSDF tactical capabilities and to strengthen cooperation with partner navies in the Indo-Pacific region through conducting joint exercises, and
• To contribute to the peace and stability of the region and to enhance mutual understanding and relationship with partner countries through the deployment
In July, Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koshikawa Kazuhiko said Tokyo is seeing the need to partner up with "like-minded" nations, such as the Philippines, in maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
During the celebration of the 69th anniversary of the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF), Kazuhiko stressed the importance of stronger cooperation with the country as he said unity is necessary "to lead the international community towards greater cooperation while deterring unwarranted division and confrontation."
Aside from the Philippines, Japan also has bolstered ties with the US and Australia—the troops of which are participants in the current naval drills.