PH, Japan air forces train on disaster response

MANILA, Philippines—Philippine Air Force men will train alongside their Japanese counterparts on humanitarian assistance and disaster response for the first time.

The first air-to-air bilateral training will be held at Clark Air Base, Pampanga province from July 5 to 8, which the Japanese embassy in Manila said was “a significant milestone for defense cooperation” between the two countries.

The training seeks to strengthen coordination in delivering relief goods during emergency situations where these are needed. It would include loading and unloading processes and airdrops.

Japan’s Air Self Defense Force (JASDF) will deploy a training unit of Air Support Command—a C-130H cargo aircraft—and its personnel.

“Japan and the Philippines are both natural disaster-prone countries and there are so much we can share on disaster relief operations for saving lives and alleviating the suffering of people in need,” said unit commander Maj. Mizuno Masaki of the JASDF.

“As a strategic partner and friend of the Philippines, we hope that our bilateral training will contribute to further strengthen the cooperation between our two Air Forces,” he added.

Japan’s Ministry of Defense and the Japan Self-Defense Forces deployed to the Philippines a total of 1,180 men, three vessels and 16 aircraft—including seven C-130H cargo planes—for medical assistance and relief supply in the aftermath of super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), the strongest typhoon to ever make landfall, in 2013.

TSB

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