Zambales: A Japanese guided missile destroyer and its crew have arrived in the Philippines for a four-day goodwill visit, further boosting the growing navy-to-navy ties between the two Asian nations. The Japanese vessel, JS Harusame (DD-102), skippered by Commander Makoto Ozawa, is docked at the Naval Operating Base in Subic, Zambales.

According to Philippines News Agency, JS Harusame arrived on Wednesday, and the arrival was marked by honors for the ship and its crew. Commander Makoto Ozawa, alongside Japanese assistant defense attach© Commander Kawahata Noriyuki and two other Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) officers, paid a courtesy call on Philippine Fleet (PF) commander Rear Admiral Joe Anthony Orbe.

During the meeting, discussions revolved around the PF commander's engagement in August and his recent visit to Yokosuka, Japan, which was aimed at preparing for the official PF and JMSDF staff-to-staff talks scheduled to take place in the Philippines. Rear Admiral Orbe assured the visiting JMSDF delegates of the PF's readiness to provide any assistance and both sides exchanged insights from their experiences as ship commanding officers.

The visit also included a shipboard tour of JS Harusame for Orbe and his staff, enabling them to familiarize themselves with the vessel's equipment and technology. This tour was designed to promote knowledge sharing and enhance mutual appreciation of each nation's maritime assets and operational procedures.

The goodwill visit is set to conclude with a send-off ceremony on Saturday. This visit underscores the continued efforts to strengthen maritime cooperation and foster stronger ties between the Philippine Navy (PN) and JMSDF. It reaffirms the shared commitment of both nations to enhance professional expertise, operational interoperability, and bilateral trust, supporting the shared goal of a secure and stable maritime environment.