Richard Heydarian

Opinion | As the Philippines and Japan look to upgrade defence ties, not everyone is enthusiastic about it

The two countries have enjoyed a steady friendship in the post-war period, bolstered by strong trade, investment and more recently, cooperation in defence

Yet before they can forge any new military deals, their leaders must contend with pro-Beijing figures in Manila and Tokyo’s pacifist constitution

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Richard Heydarian

Published: 3:30am, 1 Mar 2023Updated: 5:03am, 1 Mar 2023

“Ours is a special friendship whose value is beyond any measure,” declared former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte during a meeting with then Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2017. Just months earlier, Duterte had thanked Tokyo for “really be[ing] our biggest helper”, underscoring Japan’s status as the largest source of aid and investment in recent years.

Despite rocky relations with the West, and his active efforts to court China and Russia, Duterte always held Japan in special regard throughout his controversial term in office. In fact, Abe was the first foreign leader to visit Manila in early 2017 during Duterte’s term.

Far from an isolated case, Japan has been held in high regard by all contemporary Filipino leaders. Former president Benigno Aquino visited Japan as many as six times during his term in office to expand strategic cooperation.

Meanwhile, current President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr has characterised his recent visit to Japan as nothing less than “essential” given the depth of bilateral ties.

Buoyed by steadily deepening strategic cooperation over the past decade, the Philippines and Japan are on the cusp of elevating ties to a new level. In particular, Japan is seeking new defence deals to deploy a large number of troops to and conduct complex bilateral military drills with its Southeast Asian partner.

Such plans, however, are likely to be met with stiff resistance in the Philippines, especially among Beijing-friendly elites, progressive civil society groups, and nationalist legislators. Not to mention, Japan is yet to amend its pacifist constitution, which expressly proscribes any offensive projection of military power.