Japan to Arm Philippines With Drones, Radar in $27M Deal

Japan has signed a $27 million security assistance agreement to supply the Philippines with coastal surveillance radar and unmanned aerial vehicles, strengthening Manila's maritime monitoring capabilities amid growing tensions with China.

The 4.3 billion yen agreement was signed in Manila on November 9 by Japanese Ambassador Katsuro Kitagawa and Philippine Foreign Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro.

Under the agreement, the Philippine Navy will receive a coastal radar system, while the Philippine Air Force will be equipped with surveillance drones.

Japan's Foreign Ministry said the package represents the first transfer of a complete defense equipment system under its Official Security Assistance (OSA) program, launched in 2023.

The equipment is intended to improve the Philippine military's ability to monitor maritime activity, particularly around the South China Sea and the Luzon Strait, a strategically important passage between Taiwan and the northern Philippines.

The agreement comes as Japan and the Philippines deepen security cooperation in response to China's expanding military and coast guard presence across the Indo-Pacific.

Beijing claims sovereignty over much of the South China Sea, overlapping with Philippine maritime claims and contributing to repeated confrontations between Chinese and Philippine vessels.

Japan has previously supplied maritime surveillance equipment to Manila and is also discussing the potential transfer of retired destroyers to the Philippine Navy.

Tokyo has increasingly used its security assistance program to strengthen the defense capabilities of regional partners and protect major maritime trade routes.

The latest agreement marks another step in the growing defense relationship between the two countries, although no delivery schedule for the new equipment was specified in the official announcement.