Japan and Philippines Deepen Defense Partnership Amid Rising Tensions with China

Philippines' Secretary of National Defence Gilberto Teodoro (R) and Japan's Defence Minister Gen Nakatani hold a joint press briefing after their bilateral meeting at a hotel in Manila on February 24, 2025.
Philippines' Secretary of National Defence Gilberto Teodoro (R) and Japan's Defence Minister Gen Nakatani hold a joint press briefing after their bilateral meeting at a hotel in Manila on February 24, 2025. (Photo by Ted ALJIBE / AFP)

Japan and the Philippines are set to bolster their defense ties. This latest development, announced during a high-profile meeting in Manila on Monday, signals a clear response to mounting regional challenges.

On Monday, Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani said that Japan and the Philippines agreed to further deepen defense ties in the face of an “increasingly severe” security environment in the Indo-Pacific region.

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by Edwin Shri Bimo

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