Japan's defense minister visits Philippine military bases to strengthen ties

Japan's Defense Minister Gen Nakatani is visiting the Philippines for the first time since taking office in October. His trip aims to strengthen ties amid rising military activities from China in the region. Nakatani toured Wallace Air Station, where Japan has installed long-range air surveillance radar systems. He also visited Basa Air Base, which is part of a defense agreement allowing U.S. access to Philippine military facilities. His visit precedes a meeting with Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, focusing on bilateral and trilateral cooperation with the U.S. and discussions about a recent defense pact allowing troop deployments between Japan and the Philippines.