Manila:Ranking defense officials of the Philippines and Japan have expressed their opposition to any attempts to alter the status quo in the East China Sea and South China Sea through force. This declaration followed a defense ministerial meeting held in the Philippines between Department of National Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and Japan's Minister of Defense Koizumi Shinjiro.

According to Philippines News agency, the two ministers reiterated their strong opposition to unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion in the Indo-Pacific region. They also shared concerns over China's increasing coercive activities in the waters and airspace surrounding Japan and the South China Sea, which have intensified against the Philippines.

The ministers emphasized the importance of strengthening bilateral relations to promote a Free and Open Indo-Pacific and ensure regional peace and stability. They acknowledged the progress in Japan-Philippines defense cooperation under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, evidenced by joint training exercises and agreements like the Reciprocal Access Agreement and Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement.

Additionally, the two ministers discussed the transfer of the first Abukuma-class destroyer to the Philippine Navy, ensuring prior education and training. They also planned for continued cooperation on maritime security, logistics, and information sharing, aiming to enhance defense collaboration with allies and like-minded countries.

Regarding the TC-90 aircraft, the ministers agreed to discuss its operations and maintenance within a Working Group, with plans to transfer one aircraft to the Philippines by the end of Japan's FY 2027. They also committed to strengthening cooperation on defense equipment and technology.

In multilateral frameworks, the ministers plan to enhance defense cooperation, including within the Australia-Japan-Philippines-United States framework and ASEAN-related frameworks. They noted the success of the Joint Cooperative Activity in September, which demonstrated the growing contribution of Japan-Philippines cooperation to regional maritime security.