Tokyo, Manila consider rotational dispatch of Japan Self-Defense Forces to Philippines

RALEIGH, North Carolina (Mainichi) — The Japanese and Philippine governments have begun considering regular rotational deployments of Japan’s Self-Defense Forces (SDF) to the Philippines, the Philippine ambassador to the United States disclosed during an April 3 online news conference.

The Philippines is also considering signing an information protection agreement with Japan, Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez said. He expressed the desire to elevate security cooperation between Japan and the Philippines to the level of an allied partner.

Romualdez held the news conference with several foreign media outlets including the Mainichi Shimbun ahead of the first trilateral summit of the leaders of Japan, the United States and the Philippines in Washington on April 11. He stressed that Japan was considered its most important ally alongside the United States, with which the Philippines has a mutual defense treaty.

Rotational deployment involves temporarily stationing troops that would conduct patrols. Regarding deployment of the SDF to the Philippines, Romualdez said the issue had been discussed in the past and that talks would continue in the future.

Regarding the possibility of the SDF participating in joint South China Sea patrols that the U.S. and Philippine militaries resumed in 2023 after seven years, Romualdez expressed hope that this would happen in the very near future. He said detailed plans could be finalized this month, and that Australia and other allies were being called on to take part. The Philippines is locked in territorial disputes with China in the South China Sea, and hopes to work more closely with Japan, the United States and other parties to hold Beijing in check.

Following the 2022 inauguration of the administration of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., which has prioritized cooperation with Japan and the United States, security cooperation with Japan has increased rapidly. In 2023, the two countries began negotiating a Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) to facilitate mutual visits between the SDF and the Philippine military. Japan also agreed to provide coastal surveillance radars to the Philippines as part of its Official Security Assistance. According to Romualdez, the RAA negotiations are expected to be concluded this year, which would provide a legal basis for the rotational deployment.

Japan has decided to conduct rotational deployment of Air Self-Defense Force fighter units to Australia, which it regards as a “quasi-ally.” The U.S. military also conducts rotational deployment for joint training in the Philippines, and it is possible that the dispatch of the SDF troops could follow a similar format to that of the U.S. military.

The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden has focused on building a network of cooperation with allies and friendly countries to counter China, and is accordingly backing deeper cooperation among mutual allies including Japan, South Korea, Australia and the Philippines.

(Japanese original by Shinichi Akiyama, North America General Bureau)