When trust transfers: Japan-Philippines Security Cooperation

The year 2026 has yet to reach the halfway mark and already it is filled with colorful changes and serious challenges. On the positive side, it has been a vibrant gallery for our bilateral ties, marking the 70th anniversary of our friendship. From economic ventures to our support tackling the Navotas Sanitary Landfill fire, each collaboration reflects the growing trust that defines our current relations.

This momentum has also lent vibrancy to our steadily deepening security cooperation, where our two countries are moving toward a more robust and active strategic partnership.

Further highlighting this vigor was the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF)’s participation in the Balikatan Exercise 41-2026 and Defense Minister Koizumi Shinjiro’s visit to the Philippines: significant milestones that underscored a mutual commitment to regional stability. They paved an ideal runway in the field of defense leading to the upcoming state visit by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. from May 26 to 29.

In addition to being the largest iteration of the exercise to date, this year’s Balikatan marked Japan’s inaugural participation as a full-fledged participant, having been an observer to the exercise since 2012. With the ratification of the Japan-Philippines Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA), the JSDF deployed approximately 1,400 personnel, a tenfold increase from around 140 last year, and conducted field training, including the first-ever live-fire training of surface-to-ship missiles in the Philippines.

Through Balikatan, Japan strengthened our cooperation with the Philippines, the United States and other like-minded countries such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand and France to ensure a security environment that does not tolerate unilateral changes to the status quo by force.

I had the honor of accompanying Defense Minister Koizumi and Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro Jr. to observe the Balikatan exercises in Ilocos Norte, where the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force utilized Type 88 surface-to-ship missiles targeting a designated unused vessel.

This was the moment when I saw firsthand the tangible outcomes of our efforts to enhance interoperability between like-minded forces. Witnessing the two defense ministers observing the exercise together and engaging in meaningful dialogue, this occasion showcased a palpable level of trust between our two countries. Having had the privilege to experience this, I felt a profound respect for the service and dedication of our men and women in uniform of all participating countries, who worked tirelessly –from planning and logistics to execution – to achieve this historic success.

During the Japan-Philippines Defense Ministerial Meeting and the courtesy call on President Marcos Jr., both sides discussed ways to further expand and deepen our security cooperation in the areas of policy, operations and defense equipment and technology in a more integrated and comprehensive manner.

Highlighted during the meetings was the transfer of defense equipment to the Philippines. Minister Koizumi’s visit came after the announcement of the revision of the Three Principles of the Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology and its Implementation Guidelines by the Government of Japan in April. Secretary Teodoro once again welcomed the revision as a step that will further strengthen Japan’s long-standing contributions to peace and stability in the region and the international community. Under the increasingly severe security environment in recent years, greater importance lies in reinforcing the deterrence and response capabilities of like-minded partners through promoting the transfer of defense equipment and technology.

Minister Koizumi and Secretary Teodoro agreed to establish a working group comprising the policy, operational and equipment divisions of the defense authorities of both countries to discuss the transfer of defense equipment, including TC?90 aircraft and Abukuma?class destroyers. The “Statement on the Further Promotion of Defense Equipment and Technology Cooperation” was signed by the two ministers.

Such developments not only reflect an exceptional level of trust, but also a strategic necessity.

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae delivered a policy speech in Vietnam on Japan’s Updated “Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP),” where “enhancing cooperation in the field of security to ensure regional peace and stability” has been one of the three priority areas of the initiative.

Under the strong leadership of President Marcos Jr. and Prime Minister Takaichi, our countries’ defense ministers further expressed their steadfast determination to enhance concrete bilateral and multilateral actions towards an FOIP.

They further agreed to enhance defense partnerships in a multilateral context, including Japan-Philippines-US and Japan-Philippines-US-Australia cooperation and through ASEAN frameworks.

Along with like-minded partners, Japan will continue to work towards an FOIP: one which prioritizes building on economic infrastructure in the age of AI, co-creates economic growth opportunities through public-private collaboration and rule sharing and enhances security cooperation to ensure regional peace and stability.

Since the end of the war, Japan has consistently upheld its steadfast commitment to being a peace-loving nation, and has contributed to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and the international community. Decades on, this stance remains unchanged.

In complex times, the aphorism “no man is an island” ceases to be mere commentary and becomes a call to preserve peace. Japan, together with like-minded countries, will strive to realize a free and open international order based on the rule of law to ensure regional stability.

With this year’s commemoration of the 70th anniversary of friendship between Japan and the Philippines, we will continue to work together in realizing a forward-looking, comprehensive strategic partnership in a wide range of fields, including security.

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Endo Kazuya is the Ambassador of Japan to the Philippines.