Tokyo backs Manila’s maritime defense push

A few days after Japan formally handed over coastal radar systems to the Philippines, defense planners are now focused on a less visible task: figuring out how much difference the new equipment can actually make in watching the country’s long and porous coastline.

The handover took place on 11 February, when Japanese Ambassador Endo Kazuya and Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr. marked the delivery of the radar systems funded through Japan’s Official Security Assistance (OSA) program.

Worth about 600 million yen, the project is Japan’s first OSA initiative for the Philippines and another step in the two countries’ expanding security ties.

At the ceremony, officials spoke of maritime domain awareness —detecting and tracking activity at sea — but the problem it points to is familiar.

The Philippines has struggled for years to monitor its waters, spread across thousands of islands, with limited ships, aircraft and surveillance systems.

Security assessments have consistently shown gaps in coastal coverage, particularly outside major ports and population centers.

While the government has put in place a National Coast Watch System to coordinate agencies, the lack of sensors on the ground — or along the shore — has limited what information can be shared in the first place.

The newly arrived radar systems are expected to improve that picture, especially once they are deployed by the Philippine Navy.

Surface contacts

Defense officials say the equipment will help detect surface contacts closer to shore, support intelligence and surveillance work, and assist in disaster response and search-and-rescue operations.

Secretary Teodoro has framed the donation as part of a broader modernization effort, rather than a stand-alone solution.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines, he has said, needs not only ships and aircraft but also the sensors and networks that allow commanders to know what is happening in real time.

Japan’s decision to provide the radars was finalized during then-Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s visit to Manila in November 2023, amid growing concern over maritime security in the region.

For Tokyo, the assistance reflects a more active security role. For Manila, it fills a practical gap that planners have long acknowledged.

The real test, however, will come after installation — how well the systems are integrated, how quickly information moves, and whether the added visibility leads to faster responses on the water.