Japan Ground Self Defense Force (JGSDF) chief of staff, Gen. Koji Yamazaki, and his party formally paid a visit to Philippine Army (PA) commander, Lt. Gen. Macairog Alberto at Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City Monday.
The purpose of the visit is to reinforce the two country’s strategic partnership and exchange insights on mutual interests.
The Philippines and Japan signed the Memorandum on Defense Cooperation and Exchanges in January 2015.
The agreement is meant to provide a framework for defense cooperation between the two defense ministries and their respective armed forces.
On June 8, 2015, the Philippine Army – Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Terms of Reference was signed, strengthening the friendly relations and cooperation while promoting open discussion of subjects of mutual interest for both armies.
As a result, the PA-JGSDF Working Group was established as a platform for both armies to plan or develop bilateral engagements that will enhance capabilities, interoperability and promote discussions of topics which are of mutual interest or mutually beneficial.
Yamazaki started his military career in 1983 as an army engineer later holding various key positions in the engineer field of specialization of the JGSDF.
Before assuming the leadership of JGSDF on August 2017, Yamazaki served as the Commanding General of the Northern Army in July 2016, he was also the Vice Chief of Staff of the Joint Staff in 2015.
He led the 9th Division as its Commanding General on August 2014, and he also served as the Commanding General of the 4th Engineer Brigade in 2008.
The two army chiefs expressed both their nation’s willingness to continue the exchange of information as both countries recognize each other’s expertise particularly in humanitarian assistance and disaster response.
The JGSDF chief also recognized the PA’s counter-terrorism efforts during the Marawi siege and the leadership decisions that helped resolve the crisis.
“My visit implies that my country recognizes the Philippines as a significant strategic partner in East Asia," Yamazaki said.
“I’m very honored to be here to strengthen our bilateral relations,” he added.
For his part, Alberto said he is optimistic that the visit of the JGSDF chief will boost the bilateral cooperation between Japan and the Philippines.
“Both armies can learn from each other’s experiences in terms of counter-terrorism and humanitarian assistance and disaster response through the conduct of training exchanges. We will continue the cooperation with renewed vigor in order to better tackle the various security challenges that both our countries are facing,” he added.
Also on Monday, Yamazaki also made a courtesy call on Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief-of-staff Gen. Benjamin Madrigal Jr. in Camp Aguinaldo.
During the visit, the maturity and development of AFP-JSDF military engagements have been emphasized, which includes the active service-to-service exchanges through the concluded Defense Cooperation Agreement.
The visit also reviewed all army-to-army engagements between the Philippine Army and JGSDF.
“The visit of the JGSDF Chief of Staff and the Defense Cooperation Agreement between AFP and JSDF encouraged more high-level or mid-level exchange visits in the future” Col. Noel Detoyato, AFP public affairs office chief, said in a separate statement.
Madrigal also expressed his appreciation on the donated spare parts and other excess military equipment from Japan to the Philippines, which greatly contributed to the advancement of AFP’s capability.
During his three-day visit which will last until Wednesday, Yamazaki is also set to meet with Defense Undersecretary for Defense Policy Ricardo David Jr.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1063518
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