The June 22-26 joint maneuvers with the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force would be only the second ever, after an unprecedented one-day exercise in the South China Sea last month
JOINT EXERCISES. Philippine coastguard personnel board a ship during a simulation of a sea jacking scenario as part of the combined Philippine-Japan maritime exercise off Manila bay, in the mouth of
The
The June 22-26
joint maneuvers with the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force would be only the
second ever, after an unprecedented one-day exercise in the flashpoint South China Sea
last month, Philippine navy spokesman Colonel Edgard Arevalo said.
He would not say
where the new exercises would be held or which ships would take part.
But Japanese
media, quoting unnmamed official sources, suggested the second maneuvers will
also take place on the South China Sea .
On May 12, two
Japanese destroyers and one of the Philippines ' newest warships held
historic maneuvers less than 300 kilometers (168 miles) from the
Philippine-claimed Scarborough Shoal, which is now under Chinese control.
"This
navy-to-navy engagement envisions to share new tactics, techniques and
procedures as well as best practices to further maritime operations,"
Arevalo said, referring to the planned drills.
These will
involve "maritime domain awareness," search and rescue, and disaster
response, he said.
Philippine
President Benigno Aquino and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced in Tokyo last week that the
two governments would start negotiations for the transfer of defense technology
and equipment. (READ: PH, Japan
to begin VFA talks)
The agreement may
include the export of Japanese hardware to the Philippines , including
anti-submarine reconnaissance aircraft and radar technology.
The two leaders
also expressed "serious concern" over China 's
construction of artificial islands in the South China Sea ,
which they said violated a 2002 regional agreement.
Aquino, who was
making a state visit to Tokyo , also drew
parallels between China 's
recent actions and Nazi Germany's creeping invasion of Europe
just before World War II.
Aquino is one of China 's most
outspoken critics in the region. His government has asked a United
Nations-backed tribunal to rule on its territorial disputes with China .
http://www.rappler.com/nation/95805-philippines-japan-fresh-naval-drills
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