Philippine defence minister Gilberto Teodoro said he would discuss China's attempts to change the international order during a bilateral meeting with his Japanese counterpart in Manila on Monday. (Reporting by Mikhail Flores;

Both Tokyo and Manila are longtime allies of the United States, which has been strengthening an arc of alliances to deter China's claims in the Pacific.

Manila is shoring up military partnerships with other nations as it seeks to counter Beijing in a South China Sea dispute.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., right, meets Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani during a courtesy visit at the Malacanang presidential palace in Manila, Philippines, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025.

Japan and the Philippines agreed on Monday to further deepen defence ties in the face of an "increasingly severe" security environment in the Indo-Pacific region, Japanese defence minister Gen Nakatani said on Monday.

France, Australia, Japan, Canada, New Zealand—following Washington’s lead—have each staged war games or concluded alliances with Manila targeting China.

Japan’s expanded military ties with the Philippines are a logical progression of its ties to the United States.

Japan and the Philippines have agreed to further deepen their defense collaborations and start talks on an arrangement to protect shared military information in the face of mutual alarm over China’s i

The Philippines and Japan pledged to enhance their defense alliance through training exercises, logistical activities, equipment transfers and intelligence sharing on Monday amid China’s assertive moves in the South China Sea.

Japan and the Philippines agreed on Monday to further deepen defence ties in the face of an "increasingly severe" security environment in the Indo-Pacific region, Japanese defence minister Gen Nakatani said on Monday.

The two sides also agreed to establish a “strategic dialogue” between the Self-Defense Forces and the Philippine Armed Forces to deepen operational collaboration.

Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and his Philippine counterpart Gilberto Teodoro agreed Monday to establish a strategic dialog