Japan is a trusted friend in challenging times
The past weeks reminded Filipinos that amid the chaos and uncertainty that is going on in the Middle East, much is also happening in our own backyard.
Last March 23, the China Coast Guard (CCG) declared it was doing “clearing operations” in the vicinity of the Scarborough Shoal, rendering it off limits to other vessels for several hours.
Just a few days before, there were reports of CCG vessels backed by maritime militia executing dangerous maneuvers to drive away Filipino boats. They repeatedly used sirens and deployed fast-moving rigid-hull inflatable boats to intimidate and block access to fishing grounds.
Aerial surveillance by the Philippine Coast Guard reported at least five Chinese Coast Guard vessels, three People’s Liberation Army Navy ships, and additional maritime militia vessels operating in the area, clearly outnumbering and overshadowing about 20 Filipino fishing boats present.
In a separate incident near Mischief Reef, tensions took another alarming turn when a Chinese aircraft reportedly deployed flares against a Philippine patrol aircraft. This was an escalatory move that raised serious safety concerns and marked a troubling expansion of confrontational tactics from sea to air.
These instances are neither new nor surprising, given the pattern of intimidation in the past few years. While we pursue diplomatic means of resolving these incursions, it is also fair that we should do other things as there is really no sign that China will deviate from its expansionist aggression.
The government owes it to our people to stand its ground. Seventy-three percent of Filipinos nationwide agreed with the statement that “In line with the continuous aggression of China, the current administration must continue to assert the Philippines’ rights in the West Philippine Sea in accordance with international law, including Unclos and the 2016 arbitral award,” according to a survey conducted in June 2025 by Pulse Asia.
Another survey from 2025 showed that the preferred mode of Filipinos in strengthening our external defense capability is to “reinforce alliance and elevate partnerships by conducting joint patrols and military exercises with allies, friends, and partners” with 51 percent of respondents choosing this option.
This is exactly what the Philippine government has been doing.
Since November 2023, the country—together with like-minded nations—has conducted a total of 35 bilateral and multilateral maritime cooperative activities. Last year alone, the Philippines carried out eight multilateral maritime cooperative activities and 12 bilateral and multilateral cooperative activities with partners including the United States, Australia, Canada, France, New Zealand, India, and Japan.
These are more than symbolic gestures, they enhance interoperability, improve maritime domain awareness, and build the operational readiness needed to respond to real-world contingencies. More importantly, they send a clear signal: that the Philippines is not alone in upholding a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific.
One such trusted friend and ally is Japan, which stands out as a particularly important and evolving security partner. The growing depth of Philippines-Japan defense cooperation reflects a shared strategic outlook and mutual interest in maintaining regional stability. As an example, Japan is expected to deploy around 1,000 military personnel in the upcoming Balikatan exercises, facilitated by the recently ratified Reciprocal Access Agreement.
This marks a significant step forward. With stronger defense and security cooperation between the Philippines and Japan, we can expect increased interoperability, more complex and integrated exercises, enhanced maritime domain awareness, and a greater capacity to respond collectively to shared challenges. It also reinforces deterrence—demonstrating that attempts to undermine international law will be met not with isolation, but with coordinated action among like-minded states.
Indeed, by working with like-minded partners such as Japan, the Philippines is better positioned to protect its sovereignty, support its fisherfolk, and uphold the rules-based international order that underpins regional peace and stability.
This year marks the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Japan. It began as a gesture of rebuilding trust after the devastation of the war. Over the decades, the partnership has become strategically significant. From firm economic foundations, today, the partnership has entered a new and more strategic phase—one defined by shared security responsibilities in the Indo-Pacific region.
There is much in history to look back to and learn from, but there is so much more to look forward to as well. True friends like Japan, share our values and commitment, and in this precarious world, the rule of law must, at all times, reign supreme.
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Dindo Manhit is the founder and CEO of Stratbase Group.
