The Philippines on Wednesday formally received five coastal radar systems from Japan in a ceremony at Camp Aguinaldo, marking a significant upgrade to the country’s maritime surveillance capabilities and underscoring the growing security partnership between Manila and Tokyo.
The handover was conducted under Japan’s Official Security Assistance (OSA) program for fiscal year 2023. Leading the ceremony were Secretary of National Defense Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr. and Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Endo Kazuya.
Funded through a grant amounting to ¥600 million, the coastal radar systems are designed to strengthen the Philippine Navy’s maritime domain awareness. The package includes radar units, surveillance and monitoring equipment, communications systems, and other support components aimed at improving coastal monitoring and maritime security operations.
Strengthening maritime domain awareness
Defense officials said the integration of the radar systems is expected to expand surveillance coverage and enhance early detection and tracking of surface contacts in Philippine waters.
The Philippines, an archipelagic nation with more than 7,600 islands, faces ongoing challenges in monitoring its vast coastline and exclusive economic zone. Improved maritime domain awareness is seen as critical to safeguarding territorial waters, responding to maritime incidents, and supporting national security operations.
According to the Department of National Defense (DND), the systems will support intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions, as well as humanitarian assistance and disaster response operations. The radars are also expected to aid in search and rescue missions and maritime law enforcement activities.
During the ceremony, Ambassador Endo symbolically handed over a ceremonial token to Teodoro, who then transferred it to representatives of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine Navy. The gesture signified the formal operational integration of the systems into the country’s maritime defense framework.
Deepening Philippines–Japan ties
In his remarks, Ambassador Endo described the handover as a milestone in the strengthening relationship between the two countries.
“This occasion marks not only the transfer of critical equipment from Japan to the Philippines but also a meaningful milestone in the steadily deepening partnership between our two countries,” Endo said.
He emphasized that regional stability requires sustained collective effort, noting that “peace and stability cannot be taken for granted. It must be actively and collectively sustained.”
Teodoro, for his part, expressed appreciation for Japan’s continued support and highlighted the shared vision of both countries for a free and open Indo-Pacific.
“I would like to thank the Government of Japan for the concrete contributions in widening and deepening our bilateral and multilateral ties, with the end in view of a free and open Indo-Pacific and maintaining regional peace and stability,” Teodoro said.
He added that the partnership between the Philippines and Japan is anchored on mutual trust and shared principles.
“There is mutual trust and sincerity. Japan's approach to its bilateral relations with the Philippines has been rooted in fundamental sincerity and values,” the defense chief said.
Japan’s Official Security Assistance
Japan’s Official Security Assistance program was established under its 2022 National Security Strategy. The framework allows Tokyo to provide security-related assistance to like-minded countries to strengthen defense cooperation and promote regional stability.
Since the launch of the OSA in 2023, the Philippines has been the only country to receive assistance for three consecutive years, highlighting what officials described as the high level of trust and strategic importance Japan places on its partnership with Manila.
The coastal radar systems represent a tangible component of that cooperation, particularly as both nations seek to uphold a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific.
Broader security context
The handover comes amid heightened attention to maritime security in the region. The Philippines has stepped up efforts to modernize its armed forces and enhance coordination with regional partners as part of its broader defense strategy.
Japan, for its part, has expanded its security engagement in Southeast Asia in recent years, reflecting a more proactive defense posture under its updated national security framework.
Officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and senior military leaders attended the ceremony, including Deputy Assistant Secretary Lea Victoria T. Carada, AFP Deputy Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Rommel P. Roldan of the Philippine Air Force, and Acting Flag Officer-in-Command and Vice Commander of the Philippine Navy Maj. Gen. Edwin E. Amadar.
As the systems are installed and integrated, Philippine defense officials say they expect improved coordination among naval and coastal units, enhanced maritime situational awareness, and stronger capacity to respond to both security threats and natural disasters.
The ceremonial handover, officials said, marks another step in the evolving defense partnership between the Philippines and Japan — one aimed at reinforcing regional stability and promoting a secure and open Indo-Pacific.