Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi announced on Tuesday a five-day trip to Indonesia and the Philippines starting Sunday. He described the move amid Japan's most severe postwar security environment. Koizumi is set to meet his Indonesian counterpart on Monday and Philippine counterpart on Tuesday.
Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi told reporters on Tuesday that he will embark on a five-day trip to Indonesia and the Philippines starting Sunday. He framed the visit amid what he called Japan's most severe and complex security environment since the postwar era.
"Indonesia and the Philippines are both strategically vital countries located along Japan's key sea lanes," Koizumi said. "As fellow maritime nations, they are indispensable partners with whom we must strengthen defense cooperation."
Koizumi is scheduled to meet Indonesian Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin on Monday, signing an agreement to expand defense ties. He will then hold talks with Philippine Defense Minister Gilberto Teodoro on Tuesday.
On May 6, he plans to inspect the multinational Balikatan 26 exercise, co-hosted by the United States and the Philippines. Around 1,400 Self-Defense Forces personnel will participate—10 times more than last year—with about 19,000 total participants.
Sources familiar with the matter indicate Koizumi will advance discussions on exporting used Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyers and submarines to Southeast Asian nations, including a potential free transfer of an Abukuma-class vessel to the Philippines.
