Japan is proving time and time again to be Philippines closest ally in this part
of the planet.
Since the start of the administration of President Rodrigo
Roa Duterte, Japan has shown and has actually made giant strides in improving
its ties with the Philippines, the country played host to Prime Minister Shinzo
Abe a couple times, and the President has also visited Japan twice during the
first year of his term.
And during that time, the relationship has been strengthen,
Japan has matched if not exceeded China’s foreign assistance with respect to
governments Build Build Build infrastructure program and is silently giving the
country the needed muscle to fully equip the Armed Forces of the Philippines. *
For illustration purposes only, a coastal radar surveillance system (photo credit to owner) |
Japan has donated five Beechcraft TC-90 King Air training
airplanes, capability of the TC-90 with respect to range in kilometers is twice
as the flight range of the existing surveillance aircraft in the Philippine
inventory. Indeed this was considered a very much welcome addition to the
Philippine Air Force inventory, the TC-90 surveillance plane has the capability
to conduct surveillance, monitoring, and search-and-rescue missions over the
country’s maritime domain. And just last August of 2017, Reuters made a report
that Japan will give thousands of helicopter parts to keep the Philippine UH- 1
utility helicopters airborne.
Reuters stated that the donation was a “Military diplomacy
is a new means for Japan to confound China's bid for control in the bitterly
contested South China Sea as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe seeks a regional
military role amid a retreat from decades of state pacifism.”
And the generosity of the Japanese to the Philippines seems
has no end for this administration.
Jane’s website has published an article titled “Japan to
assist with establishment of 11 new radar stations across southern Philippines.
The website has given to key points as to why Japan is
helping the Philippines in this aspect:
1.
Japan is providing Manila with resources to
establish 11 new coastal radar stations across southern Philippines; and
2.
Move aims to secure major shipping lanes that
connect the Sulu Sea, with the Celebes Sea and the Pacific Ocean. *
The Japanese government takes note of the security along a
notorious sea lane known as the Sibutu Passage, and that to help the
Philippines secure the area it has agreed to donate much needed equipment's and
systems for eleven (11) new radar stations that will be constructed across the
southern Philippines.
The agreement was reached under a government-to-government
scheme, with equipment and systems likely to be acquired from Japanese
electronics company Furuno, said Lieutenant Al-Hafidz Bih, assistant deputy
chief of Coast Guard Staff for Intelligence, Security and Law Enforcement, of
the Philippines Coast Guard (PCG), in an interview with Jane’s on 17 January.
Report from Janes
1 Comments
Wow ! Thank you so much Japan for your great support . You're really a truly friend and real allies of my home country Philippines . Thanks and God bless us all .
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