Manila [Philippines], November 23 [ANI]: Navies of the Philippines and Japan are accelerating safety cooperation amid Beijing’s rising assertiveness within the West Philippine Sea and wider Indo-Pacific, in line with Manila’s state media.
Commander of the Philippine Fleet, Rear Adm. Joe Anthony Orbe led a delegation to Japan this week for a string of high-level engagements with the Japan Self-Defence Fleet (JSDF) and the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF), the Philippines News Agency reported on Sunday.
The delegation toured JS Kumano, one in all Japan’s next-generation frigates.
The go to, in line with the report in PNA underscores the Philippine Fleet’s accelerating pivot towards like-minded safety companions as Manila faces more and more hostile encounters inside its personal unique financial zone, from water-cannon assaults to harmful Chinese manoeuvres in and across the South China Sea, which can also be referred to the West Philippine Sea by Manila.
Japan and the Philippines performed their first navy drill in October 2025 as a part of the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA), a key defence pact which was signed in July 2024 and got here into impact in September 2025. The pact permits Tokyo and Manila to deploy forces on one another’s soil.
The RAA was employed for the primary time in October 2025 for drills between the Japan Air Self-Defence Force and the Philippine Air Force.
Japan is seeking to export naval warships to the Philippines. The Maritime Self-Defence Force Abukuma-class destroyer escorts are at the moment in service with the Japan’s Maritime Self-Defence Force.
Meanwhile, the Philippines, Japan and the US held joint workout routines within the South China Sea on November 14 and 15, underneath the Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity (MMCA).
Philippine Navy ships engaged in anti-submarine warfare through the drills, an official advised the PNA news outlet.
While the Philippines Armed forces deployed its two missile-capable frigates, BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150) and BRP Antonio Luna (FF-151), together with an AW-159 Wildcat helicopter, the US INDO-PACOM deployed the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group, led by the plane service USS Nimitz (CVN-68). The Japanese power fielded JS Akebono (DD-108) and the SH-60K Seahawk.
The Philippine Coast Guard’s BRP Melchora Aquino and BRP Cape San Agustin supported the mission, enhancing maritime area consciousness within the WPS.
Beijing mentioned the drills ‘undermined peace and stability within the area.’
The drills got here amidst tensions between Japan and China after Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi urged Japan may reply in self-defence in case China assaults Taiwan.
China hit again by halting Japanese seafood imports and advising its residents towards touring to Japan. (ANI)