Ranking Japanese naval officer visits PHL Ulugan Bay facilities

From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 27): Ranking Japanese naval officer visits PHL Ulugan Bay facilities

The Philippine Navy (PN) on Thursday confirmed Friday that Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force chief Admiral Tomohisa Takei visited the Naval Forces West facility in Ulugan Bay, Palawan Wednesday.

Navy public affairs office chief Cmdr. Lued Lincuna said Takei's visit is aimed "strengthening bilateral relations and maritime cooperation in the region."

Ulugan Bay, located in the northwestern portion of Palawan, is where the PN is currently developing a base to better protect Philippine-occupied islands, shoals, and reefs in the disputed Spratly Island Group.

However, he said that the PN, at present, is not asking Japan for any assistance in beefing up the capabilities of its Ulugan Bay facility.

Takei arrived in the Philippines and met with his Filipino counterparts Wednesday for possible Navy-to-Navy interactions.

Such cooperation became possible after the Department of National Defense and Japan Ministry of Defense signed a new Memorandum of Defense Cooperation and Exchanges in January.

This was finalized during the visit of Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin in Japan on Jan. 29 to 31.

"His visit to Philippines is part of the exchange visits for 2015. This is his first visit to Manila and it is his introductory call also as the new chief of JMSDF," PN flag-officer-in-command Vice Admiral Jesus C. Millan earlier said.

Takei also visited the Armed Forces of the Philippines headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City where he was welcomed by AFP deputy-chief-of-staff Lt.Gen. Virgilio Domingo.

Discussed in the meeting was the PN hosting of the biennial Western Pacific Naval Symposium which is slated this April.

"Also discussed was promoting cooperation in maritime security using the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES) and how will it be implemented at the tactical level to avoid unusual incidents," he added.

Millan also said possible humanitarian assistance and disaster relief cooperation and training was also tackled along with possible port visits of JMSDF ships.

"I also thanked him of their help and prompt assistance after Typhoon 'Yolanda'," he concluded.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=739587