Japan to Send Rescue Boats to Malaysia Under OSA Program

Yomiuri Shimbun file photo

13:37 JST, December 15, 2023

The government plans to send small rescue boats and small maritime surveillance drones to Malaysia this fiscal year as part of the Government Security Assistance (OSA) program that provides defense equipment to the military of “like-minded” countries for free, several government sources have said.

This will be the third time that the OSA — which began in fiscal 2023 — will be utilized.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is expected to reach an agreement with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in Tokyo on Saturday.

The defense equipment to be sent is expected to total about ¥400 million.

Malaysia is currently in a dispute with China regarding territorial rights in the South China Sea. With Chinese research vessels entering the country’s exclusive economic zone, Japan has decided to support Malaysia in an effort to deter China.

The government has decided that the Philippines, Bangladesh and Fiji will receive defense equipment through the OSA framework this fiscal year, in addition to Malaysia.