Japan’s military assistance program will be a great help to the Philippines when it comes to improving its military capabilities of defending its territorial waters in West Philippines Sea with the process of transporting military technology and equipment from Japan to the Philippines.
According to Dr. Ken Jimbo, an assistant professor at Keio University’s Faculty of Policy Management, in an interview, “There is a high possibility that we will make such a decision. We are very sympathetic that we should transfer those technology to the Philippines.”
Manila and Tokyo have signed a defense equipment transfer agreement last February. The agreement was about the improvement of joint manufacturing and improvement of defense technology and equipment, and creating a judiciary system for this.
Last year, upon the visit of former President Benigno Aquino III in Japan, he presented a list of equipment to the Japanese Government that specify the equipment that Philippines currently needed. The list was composed of Oyashio-class submarines, Shirane class destroyers, Hayabusa class missile patrol boats and P-3C maritime surveillance craft.
“We should start from the easy parts first and then when those organizations and human aspects are met, I think we are ready to transfer the P-3C”, said Dr. Jimbo. “The P-3C is a high end technology and we really need to have high end training to operate those aircrafts”, he added.
Dr. Jimbo also mentioned that Japan trust its alliance with United States but due to the increase of China’s power, Japan needs to have new strategic allies, especially nations from ASEAN members such as the Philippines.
