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© Thomson Reuters 2023.Japan preparing military aid to shore up Philippines' defense
By Tim Kelly, Sakura Murakami and Yukiko Toyoda TOKYO©2025 GPlusMedia Inc.
39 Comments
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TaiwanIsNotChina
Well, it is money put to good use.
TokyoLiving
When good old US says woof-woof, Japan goes Wan-Wan..
Pathetic...
TokyoLiving
Money put to good use is when a country invest in its own people..
Pffff!!!!..
TaiwanIsNotChina
The US isn't the only country with a pet now that China has Russia.
Ricky Kaminski13
Add the Quad and growing list of regional players coming to the table to your list of pathetic please TokyoLiving.
A free an open Indo-Pacific. Clearly defined goals, transparency and the rule of law.
JboneInTheZone
China has repeatedly ignored the territorial waters of Japan and the Philippines, even going so far as to almost cause a collision with a Philippine coast guard boat within the past couple of months. Are you really surprised that these countries might have reasons other than American interests to be teaming up? If China didn’t constantly act like a petulant baby trying to bully everyone in the region they wouldn’t have this problem.
deanzaZZR
I'm pretty sure Japan already has some detailed maps of the area for some reason...
The threat to Japan is to the north as history has demonstrated for several centuries.
Desert Tortoise
Having spent a lot of time in the Philippines in the 1980s the idea of Japan and Philippines cooperating on defense is a radical change from the past and it is a change not being driven by anything the US is doing but rather a mutual fear of China. When I was in the Philippines there were still some souls who thought Douglas MacArthur was some sort of god who would come back some day and save them. Memories of Japan during WWII were still strong. Now Philippines looks to Japan for mutual defense. For someone who has been floating around the region off and on for forty something years it is a remarkable change.
deanzaZZR
Amen. Just don't look too closely at the human rights issues in India. Also don't look closely at what Modi is doing to the press.
Rodney
Does Kishida really think he can become a world arms dealer? We buy Americans technology and materials from America and then re export.
Wesley
Better than china-nese who only know how to go "Oink Oink" or squeal like pigs in a slaughter house.
Pathetic....
elephant200
What can Japan helping the Philippines?
Some retired Kawasaki made UH1 hueys? Like used condoms reused again. Good for them!
xin xin
Japan made world-class weapons; it should do that again for peace in Asia. Next is to help Taiwan defend itself directly. Let China bark.
deanzaZZR
Japan military peace in Asia. My that has some historical resonance.
ian
US didn't help country of Ukraine directly when it was attacked by Russia. Unlikely it will do so if province Taiwan is attacked by China.
Better scenario is if they can agitate China to attack the Philippines, which they can help directly
OKuniyoshi
How?? Unless the Philippines is prepared to get involved in a China/Taiwan conflict. Which they said, they are not. Just an American prodding for optic. IE, waste of good Japanese money, or, perhaps, paid by the American??
ian
The Philippines and China have their own conflict, no need to involve Taiwan.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Eager for your world to end, huh? Thankfully the CCP knows that Taiwan is not to be messed with. Won't be a limited war like Ukraine.
China just wants to push Filipino fishermen out of their fishing grounds. Thankfully the US will be there to run the Chinese out.
ian
Lol
u_s__reamer
Aid to a genocidal government that murders tens of thousands of its own citizens considered as human garbage and of no use to the ruling elite because of their poverty, lack of education and skills? I can only shake my head in disgust at the total disregard for human rights typical of the LDP that is not so dissimilar to the arrogant mentality of their militarist predecessors.
deanzaZZR
The China-Taiwan dynamic is a civil war between two factions. Other parties need not apply, especially former imperialists. Everyone's hopes are that it can be worked out peacefully for the benefit of the Chinese Nation.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Other parties have already declared their side. The PRC knew this in 1972.
OssanAmerica
When China says wong-wong, North Korea says meong-meong. Happy?
darknuts
Isn't investing in defense, investing in your own people?
ian
Utterly clueless.
The Philippines lost Scarborough a long time ago, they're still waiting for the US to drive the Chinese out
ian
The US was actually the reason the Philippines lost Scarborough shoal.
China and the Philippines were jointly fishing on the shoal, that was the status quo.
But when there was a standoff between the ships of the two countries, the US advised the Philippines to leave the area.
They weren't able to come back ever since.
桜川雪
You mean self defense aid?
1glenn
Hopefully, Chinese leadership will pass on to someone less aggressive, before Xi gets around to starting a war.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Sorry but Chinese criminality is not a sign of strength. Thankfully the US can help them come back to fish right around China's illegal outposts.
OssanAmerica
Bad analogy. Even China believes the US will defend Taiwan, otherwise they would have taken it anytime during the past 74 years.
ian
Not an analogy.
Wrong reasoning also.
ian
There could be other reasons they haven't attacked (yet).
And even if they do believe US will defend doesn't mean they won't attack.
Anyway, good for you thinking like that, you don't have to worry about China attacking then
TaiwanIsNotChina
Yeah, nobody believes that.
They know it will end their economic joyride.
While we know the deterrence is working now, it does need adjustment to a strategy that will take as many PLA/PLN lives as possible.
Desert Tortoise
Modern radars for one.
Desert Tortoise
We sure spent and continue to spend a lot of time and effort practicing the defense of Taiwan. It is our number one priority and the one that keeps people up at night.
I don't think there is a single member of the US Congress who would not vote for a US military response to a Chinese attack. In fact there is a bill working its way through the required committees that would authorize a US President to commit forces to the defense of Taiwan immediately upon an invasion so a President would not have to lose time going to Congress for an Authorized Use of Military Force bill to pass both houses. It is in essence a pre-approved AUMF for the defense of Taiwan.
ian
As always, your input in this area is much appreciated Desert Tortoise
voiceofokinawa
There's a danger that the Ukrainian war, despite being confined to a regional conflict right now, may flare up and escalate into a full-fledged international war involving major powers of the world. World War III may be in the offing, I am afraid. Humanity is thus destined to meet the doomsday and demise.
Another flash point is in the western Pacific involving China, N. Korea and neighboring countries. U. S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has departed for China to eliminate any miscalculations on the part of China. But if his trip is only for selling the U. S.'s stance, his talks with the Chinese leadership won't succeed. Thus, a potential danger of the humanity's demise remains the same.