Japan, Philippines Agree to High-Level Dialogue over Defense Equipment Exports; Foreign Ministers Agree to Strengthen Ties to Counter China

By Takanori Nakada and Shumpei Takeuchi / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writers

13:10 JST, February 25, 2025

MANILA — Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and his Philippine counterpart Gilberto Teodoro agreed Monday to establish a high-level strategic dialogue framework over exporting defense equipment from Japan.

The ministers spoke for two hours during a meeting in Manila and agreed to the framework with the aim of strengthening bilateral security ties to counter China’s hegemonic behavior.

“We firmly agreed on the necessity to take defense cooperation and coordination to a higher level,” Nakatani said at a joint press conference held after the meeting.

The two ministers discussed the situation in the East and South China Seas, where China continues to advance aggressively, and confirmed their opposition to its attempts at unilaterally changing the status quo by force.

Teodoro said that Japan and the Philippines would further strengthen the partnership “against unilateral attempts by China and other countries to change the international order and the narrative.”

Cooperation between the two countries regarding defense equipment has been progressing, with Japan exporting air defense radars in 2023. During the meeting, the ministers agreed that representatives from Japan’s Defense Ministry and defense-related companies would visit the Philippines to ascertain what is required. Japan is currently planning to export air defense systems and other equipment.

Nakatani and Teodoro also agreed to establish a strategic dialogue to strengthen cooperation between Japan’s Self-Defense Forces and the Philippine military, and will begin discussions on how to share sensitive military intelligence while protecting the information. They also agreed to promote trilateral cooperation with the United States and quadrilateral cooperation with the United States and Australia.

After the meeting with Teodoro, Nakatani met with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the Malacanang Palace.

“It is vitally important for the security of our country to work with the Philippines, which shares our fundamental values, and ensure peace and stability in the region,” Nakatani told reporters after the meeting with the president.