Japan and Philippines strengthen defense ties in response to Chinese aggression

Japan and the Philippines have agreed to strengthen their defense ties amid rising concerns over China's aggressive actions in the South China Sea and East China Sea. The agreement was made during a meeting between Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and Philippine Defense Minister Gilberto Teodoro in Manila. The two countries plan to enhance operational cooperation, including joint military training and information-sharing. They also discussed establishing a military information protection mechanism to secure sensitive data. This agreement follows the Philippines' recent pact with the United States to improve military intelligence sharing. Japan and the Philippines aim to bolster their defense collaboration as both nations face increasing security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region.