Tokyo and Manila are Enhancing Defensive Ties to Counter Beijing | Atlas Institute for International Affairs
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Japan and the Philippines are extending their relations to new heights in the Indo-Pacific region, particularly to deter China’s aggressive posture. In the East China Sea, Chinese maritime provocations became a catalyst for Japanese remilitarization. In the South China Sea, the Philippines has reassessed a former lukewarm approach toward China’s encroachment.

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Amid China’s growing force projection, both Japan and the Philippines realized the need to increase defense spending and partnerships. Initially providing humanitarian operations to each other, Tokyo and Manila are now intertwining each other’s security in the region with joint interoperability exercises and military sales.

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Both major existential threats that the Philippines and Japan face are from China’s maritime activities as the Chinese navy (PLAN) and Coast Guard (CCG) continue to project power and enact provocative movements such as ship ramming and frequency distortions in Tokyo’s and Manila’s respective waters. The AFP and JSDF are enhancing interoperability in the South China Sea for coordination and preparation to counter China’s military.

Japan, for the first time, has joined the joint exercise Balikatan alongside the Philippines, Australia, France, Canada, New Zealand, and the U.S. Tokyo’s landmark participation is the first time since World War Two that Japanese troops have been deployed on Philippine territory.

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