Manila Bulletin
Philippines
National
PH to shoulder logistics for Japan's Abukuma-class warships, says defense chief
Philippines
National
PH to shoulder logistics for Japan's Abukuma-class warships, says defense chief
PH to shoulder logistics for Japan's Abukuma-class warships, says defense chief
Published Jul 10, 2026 02:30 pm
At A Glance
- The Philippines will receive five Abukuma-class destroyer escorts from Japan free of charge but will shoulder the costs of transporting the vessels, training crews, and integrating their systems into the Philippine Navy, Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said.
- Teodoro said the transfer has been accepted in principle by both governments, although discussions are ongoing and no timeline has been set because the process is complex.
- The defense chief said the military is upgrading naval facilities not just for the Abukuma-class ships but also for larger vessels expected to arrive under the Armed Forces of the Philippines modernization program.
FILE - Philippine's Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro talks to the media as he attends the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia's annual defense and security forum, in Singapore on May 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim, File)
Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said on Friday, July 10, that the country will not pay Japan for the transfer of five Abukuma-class destroyer escorts but it will shoulder the logistics and other related expenses needed to bring the vessels into service.
Teodoro said the planned transfer has already been accepted in principle by both countries, although discussions are still underway and no timetable has been set.
“No transfer of money will be given to the Japanese. But the costs of shipping them, sailing them here, training the crew, and making the systems interoperable with our systems will be borne by us,” he said after the Stratbase Institute forum marking the 10th anniversary of the 2016 Arbitral Award in Makati City.
“I cannot give timelines because it's not a simple matter of transferring,” he added, without divulging the amount needed to cover the logistics of the deal.
The defense chief said Japan's planned transfer of the Abukuma-class destroyer escorts forms part of the growing security cooperation between Manila and Tokyo as both countries deepen ties amid an increasingly challenging security environment in the Indo-Pacific region.
Teodoro clarified that while the vessels themselves will be transferred free of charge, the Philippine government will have to cover the costs of transporting, operating and integrating them into the Philippine Navy.
The defense chief also clarified that the government's planned expansion of naval facilities is not intended solely for the incoming Japanese vessels.
Earlier, Teodoro said the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) needs to improve its naval infrastructure as more ships are expected to enter service under the military modernization program.
“It’s not only for the Abukuma but even the rest of our platforms. There are several more coming. The Abukuma is the least of the problem because it is one of the smaller platforms that we will have. It is the bigger platforms that we have. It was probably 30 to 40 years overdue for us to have new naval facilities,” he added.
The DND has been pursuing a broader naval modernization program as the country strengthens its external defense capability and expands maritime security operations.
The acquisition of the Abukuma-class vessels is expected to complement the Philippine Navy's existing fleet while the government continues to develop new facilities that can support larger and more modern naval platforms.