Statement by the Defense Ministers of Japan and the Philippines on the Further Promotion of Defense Equipment and Technology Cooperation

07 Mei 2026

JMSDF Beechcraft TC-90 King Air (photo: Aria H Kanzaki)

Minister of Defense of Japan Koizumi Shinjiro explained Japan’s recent revision of the Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology as well as its Implementation Guidelines (hereinafter referred to as “the Three Principles”), and emphasized Japan’s clear intention to further expand and deepen substantive cooperation and partnership with the Philippines in order to realize its objective. In this regard, he highlighted that Japan has consistently contributed to peace and stability in the region and the international community, and that the revised defense equipment transfer framework constitutes one such continued effort, aimed at strengthening regional peace and stability through enhancing the deterrence and response capabilities of partner countries.

Secretary of National Defense of the Republic of the Philippines Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr. reaffirmed his support for Japan’s long-standing contributions to peace and stability in the region and the international community, and welcomed Japan’s recent revision of the Three Principles as a step that will further strengthen such contributions. He also expressed his expectation that, building on this revision, defense cooperation and partnership between the two countries would be further enhanced.

Taking into account the revised Three Principles, the two Ministers expressed their commitment to implementing necessary cooperation to ensure the security of both countries and the peace and stability of the region. They shared their determination to further expand and deepen bilateral defense partnership in an integrated and comprehensive manner, including through pursuing an institutional framework for information sharing.

Abukuma-class destroyer escort (photo: JMSDF)

TC-90 aircraft and Abukuma-class destroyers

As part of the efforts referred to in paragraph 3 above, taking into account the request from the Philippines, the two Ministers decided to discuss the transfer of defense equipment, including TC‑90 aircraft and Abukuma‑class destroyers, along the following lines:

1.To identify defense equipment that contributes to the deepening of bilateral defense partnership, and, under the revised Three Principles, to conduct discussions aimed at realizing comprehensive equipment cooperation as part of Japan–Philippines defense cooperation. Such discussions will encompass not only the transfer of the equipment itself, but also education and training related to the equipment for the Philippine Navy, support in the field of maintenance and sustainment to ensure continued operation, operational coordination between the respective services, information sharing, and arrangements for the appropriate management of transferred equipment.

2.To this end, under the leadership of the two Ministers, to establish a working group comprising the policy, operational, and equipment divisions of the defense authorities of both countries.

The two Ministers reaffirmed their intention for Japan and the Philippines, as strategic partners, to strengthen cooperation between their defense authorities, work closely with the United States and other partners, and contribute to the realization of peace and stability in the Indo‑Pacific region.

(Japan MoD)