The government plans to increase the number of defense attaches stationed in the Philippines and Vietnam in fiscal 2017, it was learned Thursday.
Japan hopes to promote defense cooperation further with the two Southeast Asian nations as China flexes its military muscle in the East China Sea and the South China Sea, informed sources said.
It also plans to deploy a defense attache in Finland in a stepped-up effort to gather and analyze information on Russia’s moves regarding Ukraine, according to the sources.
The government will make necessary budget requests for the year from April 2017.
As of April 1, a total of 61 Japanese defense attaches were stationed in major embassies and international organizations. One attache each is currently stationed in the Philippines and Vietnam, and the government aims to increase the number to two each, beginning in fiscal 2017, the sources said.
Both the Philippines and Vietnam are locked in territorial disputes with China over the South China Sea.
The increase in the number of defense attaches is aimed at facilitating defense cooperation with the two countries’ militaries through improved information sharing, as well as at strengthening information gathering on the activities of the Chinese military, according to the sources.
Moreover, the efforts to work more closely with the Philippines and Vietnam are intended as a warning against China, which has increased provocations in waters around the Japanese-administered Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea. China also claims the islands, which it calls Diaoyu.
Japan has been strengthening defense cooperation with the two nations.
In April, the Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyers made a port call for the first time in Vietnam’s Cam Ranh Bay, which has strategic importance as it faces the South China Sea.
Japan agreed in May to lease TC-90 training aircraft of the MSDF to the Philippines. The Philippine navy is expected to use the aircraft for patrols and surveillance in the South China Sea.
The government increased the number of defense attaches primarily in the Middle East and Africa after the 2013 hostage incident in Algeria, which left 10 Japanese nationals dead.
Japan hopes to promote defense cooperation further with the two Southeast Asian nations as China flexes its military muscle in the East China Sea and the South China Sea, informed sources said.
It also plans to deploy a defense attache in Finland in a stepped-up effort to gather and analyze information on Russia’s moves regarding Ukraine, according to the sources.
The government will make necessary budget requests for the year from April 2017.
As of April 1, a total of 61 Japanese defense attaches were stationed in major embassies and international organizations. One attache each is currently stationed in the Philippines and Vietnam, and the government aims to increase the number to two each, beginning in fiscal 2017, the sources said.
Both the Philippines and Vietnam are locked in territorial disputes with China over the South China Sea.
The increase in the number of defense attaches is aimed at facilitating defense cooperation with the two countries’ militaries through improved information sharing, as well as at strengthening information gathering on the activities of the Chinese military, according to the sources.
Moreover, the efforts to work more closely with the Philippines and Vietnam are intended as a warning against China, which has increased provocations in waters around the Japanese-administered Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea. China also claims the islands, which it calls Diaoyu.
Japan has been strengthening defense cooperation with the two nations.
In April, the Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyers made a port call for the first time in Vietnam’s Cam Ranh Bay, which has strategic importance as it faces the South China Sea.
Japan agreed in May to lease TC-90 training aircraft of the MSDF to the Philippines. The Philippine navy is expected to use the aircraft for patrols and surveillance in the South China Sea.
The government increased the number of defense attaches primarily in the Middle East and Africa after the 2013 hostage incident in Algeria, which left 10 Japanese nationals dead.
