Japan pledges maritime security aid amid South China Sea tensions

Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to bolstering maritime security cooperation with the Philippines amid rising tensions in the South China Sea during his visit to Manila on January 15.

Iwaya expressed serious concern over actions that escalate regional tensions and reiterated Japan's opposition to any unilateral changes through force or heightened tension-building activities.

The minister confirmed ongoing official security assistance (OSA) and official development assistance (ODA) aimed at enhancing the Philippines' maritime safety capabilities, as agreed upon with Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo.

Both officials stressed the importance of bilateral ties between Japan and the Philippines, along with trilateral cooperation with the US under a rules-based international order in response to an increasingly challenging strategic environment.

The two nations also committed to furthering development goals in infrastructure projects including Davao City’s Bypass Construction Project, flood management, climate change mitigation, ICT advancement, economic resilience, derisking, and diversification of telecommunications industry.