Why Japan’s role in Philippines’ defence is nearly as big as the US’

Japan’s defence white paper emphasises the risks of allowing China to have the run of the South China Sea – its activities that run counter to the order of the seas challenge the stability of a free and open Indo-Pacific. China’s expansionism into the Philippines’ lawful EEZ has also damaged Manila’s relationship with Beijing.

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Should China be concerned about the latest Japan-Philippines security pact?

Japan’s latest defence white paper has added a significant layer of clarity to Tokyo’s long-term security outlook in the Indo-Pacific. This has made Japan’s role as a security partner an even more crucial element in the Philippines’ foreign and defence policy.

Don McLain Gill is a Philippines-based geopolitical analyst, author and lecturer in the Department of International Studies, De La Salle University, the Philippines