The top defense officials of the Philippines and Japan examined various military facilities in Luzon on Sunday, Feb. 23, as the two countries elevate their security partnership with the signing of a military access agreement last year.
Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. hosted Japanese Defense Minister Nakatani Gen at the Basa Air Base in Floridablanca, Pampanga and at Wallace Air Station in San Fernando City, La Union.
Nakatani was given a guided tour of military facilities at Basa Air Base including its fuel storage facility, air missile defense system training center, as well as 4-Bay Hangar and Sterling Hangar which are essential for aircraft maintenance and operations.
The two defense ministers also visited the FA-50PH Flight Simulator, a state-of-the-art training system for pilot proficiency; and the C2 Fusion Center, a command and control hub for integrated military operations.
At Wallace Air Station, Teodoro and Nakatani toured its air defense simulation and wargaming center, which plays a key role in military training and strategic planning; and the mobile and fixed radar installations, which are vital for monitoring and securing the country’s airspace.
They also received an overview of the command and control (C2) Building, showcasing advanced command and control capabilities.
In an interview with reporters after the visit, Teodoro said that Japan is looking forward to conducting more maritime domain awareness (MDA) capability exercises with the Philippines, through the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
“Maritime awareness is also a Japanese initiative so capabilities were demonstrated and site facilities were demonstrated too,” Teodoro said.
“Domain awareness is extremely important so that we have a picture of what is happening on the airspace, principally on the airspace within our Philippine Air Defense Identification Zone. Because if we are not aware, then we will not know what threats exist so we are making our capabilities stronger and more precise,” he added.
Manila and Tokyo signed the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) on July 8, 2024, allowing both countries to send military forces and equipment to each other’s territory for joint exercises.
Through joint exercises, the two countries’ armed forces are expected to beef up their capabilities to deter security threats.
Both the Philippines and Japan have faced aggressive actions from China due to overlapping territorial claims in the South China Sea and East China Sea.
China claims parts of the West Philippine Sea (WPS) as well as the Senkaku Islands, triggering tense confrontations with Manila and Tokyo in previous years.
Teodoro particularly criticized China for the reported dangerous maneuvers conducted by its military helicopter on a patrol aircraft of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) over Bajo de Masinloc last Feb. 18.
“It once again demonstrates that China is not a party that respects any form of international law or any form of dependability or reliability because they have not been a credible citizen of the world, so to speak,” Teodoro said.
He said that the Communist Party of China’s (CPP) “expansionism, disregard of safety and rights particularly of smaller states” was a “patent for the world to see.”
“That's why our alliance-building activities are going faster,” he said.
Aside from Japan, the Philippines is also working with New Zealand for the establishment of a visiting forces agreement (VFA), a military pact like the RAA. The negotiations for the status of visiting forces agreement SOVFA) between Manila and Wellington were concluded last Feb. 18.
“All that is left is for the proper date to sign, the same, and for ratification by the Senate,” Teodoro said.
On top of this, Teodoro bared that the DND is also negotiating for a VFA with Canada and France.
At present, the country has VFA with three countries – United States, Australia, and Japan.
“We really need to interoperate and to band together to prevent a redefinition of international law and the world order by the Chinese Communist Party,” Teodoro said.
On Monday, Feb. 24, Teodoro and Nakatani will meet with President Marcos Jr. to discuss bilateral and multilateral cooperation, and the Squad, a multilateral security partnership formed by the Philippines with the United States, Australia, and Japan.
AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. earlier expressed interest in including South Korea in the Squad, stressing that Seoul “also have a stake in the security aspect of the region.”