US, Japan to boost Phl defense program

The United States, Japan, and the Philippines will increase their joint naval training exercises as Manila is expected to receive modern defense assets soon.

In their Joint Vision Statement issued on Thursday (US time), both the US and Japan committed to boosting the defense modernization program of the Philippines amid China's "dangerous and coercive use of its Coast Guard and maritime militia vessels in the South China Sea."

“We resolve to advance trilateral defense cooperation, including through combined naval training and exercises between our three countries and additional partners,“ the statement read.

“Within the next year, our coast guards also plan to conduct an at-sea trilateral exercise and other maritime activities in the Indo-Pacific to improve interoperability and advance maritime security and safety,” it added.

Planned initiatives include training with Southeast Asian partners and a Japan-Philippines-US humanitarian response exercise. These exercises could be integrated into trilateral or multilateral activities, such as Balikatan 2025, to ensure preparedness and collaboration during crises.

The three countries will also hold maritime training activities in Japan in 2025 after last week's multilateral maritime cooperative action (MMCA) in the West Philippine Sea.

They will also set up a "trilateral maritime dialogue" to improve cooperation and planning in the maritime area.

“To build regional capacity and address threats posed by transnational crime, illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, and other maritime challenges, Japan, the Philippines, and the United States plan to expand our efforts to provide maritime law enforcement training and support to partner countries in the region,” the statement read.