Japan, Philippine Defense Chiefs Agree to Deepen Partnership

Tokyo, June 27 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera and his Philippine counterpart, Voltaire Gazmin, on Thursday confirmed the two countries' intention to deepen their strategic partnership. As part of specific measures, they agreed at their meeting in Manila that exchanges between Japan's Self-Defense Forces and the Philippines' navy and air force will be strengthened, according to sources in the Japanese Defense Ministry. The move is apparently intended to counter China, which has territorial issues with both Japan and the Philippines. Beijing has been haggling with the Philippines over the ownership of the Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea, while claiming sovereignty over the Japanese-controlled Senkaku islands in the East China Sea, known as Diaoyu in China. END