''Like-minded countries” need to boost strategic cooperation to address sea disputes: Koshikawa
Japanese Ambassador to the Phillippines Kazuhiko Koshikawa on Sunday emphasized the need to boost strategic collaboration among “like-minded countries” to address maritime disputes.
This after Commander of the Japan Self Defense Fleet Vice Admiral Akira Saito and the United States Navy’s 7th Fleet Vice Admiral Karl Thomas paid a courtesy call to Philippine Navy Chief Vice Admiral Toribio Adaci Jr.
Koshikawa welcomed diplomats from the Philippines, the US, and Australia on JS Izumo, the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force’s (JMSDF) largest warship.
“To collectively address current maritime challenges, like-minded countries across the region recognize the need to boost strategic collaboration. Consonant with this, Japan, the Philippines, and the US have reaffirmed their shared commitment to bolstering their maritime cooperation, he said.
On Friday, Japanese ships Izumo and Samidare with the US Navy’s USS America docked at Manila South Harbor.
Koshikawa said that the first trilateral exercise between Japan, the US, and the Philippines “sought to foster cooperation in the fields of maritime safety, environmental protection, and law enforcement”.
He urged the allied countries to “firmly stand together” to defend a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
Koshikawa also underscored the importance of settling territorial disputes peacefully and not by force.
“Peace and international order cannot be maintained if military superpowers ignore international law and try to achieve their own claims by force. Each country has its own claims. However, disputes between states must be settled peacefully through international law and the arbitration procedures established thereunder. Even if the outcome of the arbitration is unfavorable to the major powers,” he said.
For his part, Saito said that the Japanese, Philippines, and US fleet commanders discussed the possibility of having joint training.
“The Philippine Navy has told us about their areas of interest. I told them the MSDF has experience in that area and we could provide information on it. We invited them to participate as observers in the MSDF training,” Saito said at a press briefing.
“Japan has provided the Philippine Navy TC-90 training aircraft of the same type as MSDF Liaison Aircraft LC90. We were told that the Philippine Navy is using them to conduct surveillance in the South China Sea. It was agreed that we would also exchange using such planes,” he added.
Saito also expressed that they were “concerned” over China’s coercive activities in the South China Sea, citing that similar activities were also being done around Japan.
Meanwhile, JS Izumo Executive Officer Commander Naoki Shirasaka said that the ship could be used for humanitarian and disaster relief operations.
“We can dispatch this type of ship and we can conduct flight operations to conduct search and rescue, as well as some transportation for the personnel, or staff, some materials, for the first aid,” Shirasaka while touring the media onboard the ship.
Izumo will be part of the Indo-Pacific Exercises 2023 which will involve the Philippine, US, and Australian navies.
“We, the JMSDF, are continuing to conduct various activities in this region to realize the vision of free and open Indo-Pacific," Vice Admiral Saito Akira, commander-in-chief of the JMSDF Self-Defense Fleet,” Shirasaka said.
