By Hua Zhang
According to The Manila Times on December 16, the Philippines Senate ratified the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) between the Philippines and Japan on the same day. The RAA allows both sides to deploy military personnel on each other's territory, marking the formal establishment of a "quasi-alliance status" between Japan and the Philippines.
The strengthening of defense cooperation between Japan and the Philippines has been evident for some time. In February last year, the Philippines announced that it would facilitate the participation of the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) in "humanitarian operations" in the Philippines; in return, Japan committed to providing 600 billion yen (USD4.6 billion) in official development assistance (ODA) to the Philippines in 2024, including the provision of Japanese patrol boats to the Philippine Coast Guard.
The deepening military ties between Japan and the Philippines are driven by a combination of various interests and strategic calculations.
First, this move complements the ongoing Indo-Pacific Strategy of the US. The US proposed the concept of a "free and open Indo-Pacific" in 2017. In essence, it aims to establish a US-led military-political alliance to contain the rise of China and maintain US hegemony. Under this logic, the US is keen to create various "minilateral" mechanisms targeting China, leading to the formation of the US-Japan-ROK, US-Japan-Philippines, US-Japan-India-Australia, and US-Japan-Australia "small circles" and other cliques. The strengthening of defense cooperation between Japan and the Philippines greatly benefits the enhancement of the US-Japan-Philippines trilateral mechanism.
Second, the move caters to Japan's ambition to revive its "military power dream." Against the backdrop of the complex and volatile international and regional situations, the specter of Japanese militarism seems to be re-emerging in recent years. Under the pretext of "security threats," the Japanese government has been aggressively pushing the boundaries of its post-war pacifist constitution, steadily advancing toward becoming a "state capable of warfare." This year, Japan revised the operational guidelines of The Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology, effectively lifting the ban on exporting lethal weapons. Besides, the Defense of Japan 2024 white paper reaffirmed Japan's intention to develop a "preemptive strike" capability, signaling a shift in its defense policy from being passive to being offensive. The enactment of the RAA has also provided Japan with an excuse to interfere in South China Sea affairs, enabling it to align with the US in promoting the linkage of the South China Sea, the Taiwan Strait, and the East China Sea. In this way, Japan can further constrain China's strategic space while vying for political and military influence in the Asian region.
Finally, the move demonstrates the Philippines' efforts to rally support and create factions over the South China Sea issue. The islands and reefs in the South China Sea have been China's territory since ancient times, and for long, it has been a sea of friendship and peace. How did it become a "problem" that disturbs regional peace and security? This is undoubtedly related to the interference and intervention of external forces. In 2013, the Philippines unilaterally initiated the so-called South China Sea arbitration, which was directly linked to the US push for its "Pivot to the Asia-Pacific" and "Rebalance to the Asia-Pacific" strategies at the time, as well as its abandonment of a neutral stance on the South China Sea issue. In recent years, the Philippines has sought to strengthen its illegal sovereignty claims by continually drawing in external countries to interfere in South China Sea affairs, attempting to create a confrontational atmosphere by forming small cliques. The US, Australia, and even countries from Europe have all become targets of the Philippines in its efforts to gain support. Japan, which has a territorial dispute with China over the Diaoyu Dao, naturally becomes a key target for the Philippines.
On the surface, the strengthening of military ties between Japan and the Philippines seems to satisfy the interests of both parties and aligns with US strategic objectives. However, this "small circle" with a strong Cold War undertone is built upon escalating regional tensions and is bound to undermine the favorable environment for peace and development in the region.
In pursuit of their interests, Japan and the Philippines, through military collusion, are stirring up the sensitive situations in the South China Sea and the East China Sea, thereby undermining regional peace and stability and damaging regional solidarity and cooperation. This behavior will only be met with vigilance and opposition from regional countries. The rhetoric of "maintaining order and rules" can never mask the true intent of Japan and the Philippines to disrupt solidarity and incite confrontation. Ultimately, what they will reap will not be "strategic security," but rather the notorious reputation of exacerbating regional division and turmoil.
Editor's note: Originally published on china.com.cn, this article is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information and opinions in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.
