Page 21 - DSEi JAPAN 2023 | DAILY NEWS

JAPAN AND PHILIPPINES DEEPEN

DEFENCE COOPERATION

Japan and the Philippines are working The Philippines had announced a that Mitsubishi Electric Corporation was
towards facilitation of greater cooper- Government-to-Government procurement supplying four air surveillance radar sys-
ation between the Japan Self-Defence with Japan for air surveillance radars tems to the Philippines. The first fixed
Forces (JSDF) and Armed Forces of the in August 2020. At the recent meeting radar system and its pre-delivery inspec-

Philippines(AFP). At the Japan-Philippines in February, Japan’s Ministry of Defence tion was completed by the (PAF) in Japan
(Japan MOD) confirmed that the transfer in September 2022. It stated that the Japan
Defence Ministers’ Meeting in February, process of radar systems signed in 2020 Air Self-Defence Force had begun accept-
both sides entered into the “Terms of was proceeding steadily. Deliveries origi- ing PAF students for training in October.
Reference (TOR) between the Ministry of nally commenced to the Philippines in 2022.
Defence of Japan and the Department of In October 2022, the Japan MOD announce The Philippine Air Force (PAF) is acquiring
National Defence of the Republic of the the radars from Japan under its Horizon
Philippines concerning the Humanitarian 2 Air Surveillance Radar System (ASRS)
Assistance and Disaster Relief Activities Acquisition Project. The air surveillance
of the Japan Self-Defence Forces in the radars are being supplied by Mitsubishi
Republic of the Philippines.” Electric Corporation as part of the con-
tract value at US$103 million. The ASRS
package includes three fixed long-range
The nations are working together to air surveillance radars, each with building
strengthen bilateral cooperation in secu- facilities and one mobile air surveillance
rity and to facilitate joint exercises between radar. The planned ASRS sites will cover
JSDF and AFP. The Philippine Government large areas of the Philippine Rise, Southern
and Government of Japan have also entered Areas of the country, and the Southern por-
into a ‘Transfer of Defence Equipment and tion of the West Philippine Sea and allow
Technology’ agreement which was signed the Philippine Air Force to provide optimal
in 2016. Trilateral defense cooperation airspace monitoring, aircraft control, per-
form its air defence mission and enhance
between Japan, the Philippines, and the the security in Areas of Interest identified
U.S. is also to be enhanced. by the DND.

JAPAN AND CHINA TO OPERATIONALISE MILITARY HOTLINE

Japan and China are continuing their cooper-
ation towards setting up a “Hotline between
Japanese and Chinese Defence Authorities.”
Both countries are working towards ensuring
operational status of the military hotline by
around Spring of this year.

The announcement was made following the
Japan-China Military to Military (MM) Dialogue
1 held late in February in Tokyo. Officials from
Japan’s Ministry of Defence exchanged opin-
ions with the Chinese side on a wide range of
topics including regional affairs and Japan-
China defence exchanges.

The Japanese delegation was led by Ando
Atsushi, Director General for International
Affairs, Bureau of Defence Policy, Japan
Ministry of Defence, while the Chinese dele-
gation was led by Major General Zhang Baoqun,
Deputy Director, Office for International Military
Cooperation (OIMC), CMC. Both sides also
discussed future Japan-China defence coop-
eration and exchanges.

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