Japan to lease training airplanes to Philippines

Japan and the Philippines have agreed that Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force will lease up to 5 training aircraft to the Philippine military.The agreement came during telephone talks on Monday between Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and Philippine Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin.Regarding China’s increasing maritime activities in the South China Sea, Nakatani stressed the need to share perceptions of the situation and step up cooperation between the 2 countries. Gazmin responded that it is important for all the countries concerned to cooperate in maintaining peace and stability in the region.The Philippine military wants to use the aircraft for patrol and monitoring activities at sea. Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force is set to provide pilot training and maintenance.After the talks, Nakatani told reporters that improving the capabilities of the Philippines and other coastal nations is crucial for Japan in terms of maintaining order at sea. Source and image: NHK Share this:TweetEmail