Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi met with his Philippine counterpart Gilberto Teodoro in Manila and agreed to establish a working group for the matter.
Defense leaders from Japan and the Philippines agreed Tuesday that the two countries would start detailed talks about the export of used Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyers.
Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi met with his Philippine counterpart Gilberto Teodoro in Manila and agreed to establish a working group for the matter. They aim to expand cooperation in the field of maritime security to promote regional peace and stability.
In a joint press statement released after the meeting, the two defense heads expressed “serious concern” over China’s coercive activities in the areas surrounding Japan as well as in the South China Sea.
If realized, the export of the used destroyers will be the first since Japan’s Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology and its implementation guidelines were revised on April 21. The revisions abolished the five categories of defense equipment that Japan allows itself to export: rescue, transport, vigilance, surveillance and minesweeping, making the export of MSDF vessels with lethal capabilities possible in principle.
“As the international security environment becomes increasingly complex and tense, cooperation between Japan and the Philippines as strategic partners is becoming ever more important,” Koizumi said at a joint press conference after the meeting.
Teodoro said the Philippines and Japan share the responsibility of ensuring peace and stability in the region. He expressed his country’s support of and expectations for Japan’s abolition of the five-category rule.
The two leaders signed a joint statement on the further promotion of defense equipment and technology cooperation. The used escort vessels under consideration for export are Abukuma-class destroyers that have been in service for over 30 years and are scheduled to be decommissioned sequentially.
Koizumi told reporters after the meeting, “We will actively hold discussions to reach concrete conclusions at an early stage, including the timing of the transfer and the number of vessels.”
The government aims to amend the Self-Defense Forces Law during an ordinary Diet session next year to allow for the provision of surplus secondhand lethal equipment free of charge or at low cost, with the intention of creating an environment where the Philippine side can introduce it smoothly.
In the joint press statement, the two leaders reaffirmed “their strong opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion in the East China Sea and the South China Sea,” where China continues to expand its maritime presence. They also agreed to further expand and deepen policy dialogue and the defense partnership for maritime security in a comprehensive and integrated manner.
In addition to the bilateral cooperation, they agreed to enhance defense partnership in multilateral settings, including with the United States, Australia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who met with Koizumi on Tuesday, also welcomed Japan’s abolition of the five-category rule.
Source: Asianews
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<p>Time: November 2025<br /> By: WTO and International Trade Group, Legal Department – VCCI</p>
