2 Japan destroyers arrive for goodwill port call

PORT CALL Japanese sailors fall in formation for the welcome rites for JS Ise at the Port of Manila on Saturday. —PNA Photo

MANILA, Philippines — Two Japanese destroyers, one of them carrying 20 maritime police officers from Southeast Asian and Pacific island nations, arrived in Manila on Saturday as part of a goodwill visit, according to the Japanese Embassy in Manila.

The Embassy said the two vessels—JS Ise and JS Suzunami—are part of Escort Flotilla Four of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), which is on a three-month mission to promote regional security and cooperation in a “free and open Indo-Pacific” region.

The flotilla commander, Rear Adm. Natsui Takashi, said the goodwill mission is the third port call in the Philippines this year. The destroyers, which departed Japan on June 14, are docked at the Port of Manila.

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Natsui said his mission is part of Japan’s Indo-Pacific Deployment 2025, an initiative aimed at promoting regional security and cooperation.

“The vision of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific is to aim to facilitate free and robust economic activity throughout the Indo-Pacific and to realize the prosperity in the entire region,” Natsui said in a speech upon the ships’ arrival.

“The Indo-Pacific region, including this Manila, is at the center of the world vitality, home to more than half of the world’s population. Realizing the stable and autonomous development is crucial for the stability and prosperity in the region,” he added.

Natsui said Japan’s deployment program aims to conduct joint training exercises with naval forces across the Indo-Pacific region, including the Philippines and other countries that regularly operate in these waters.

The JMSDF invited 20 naval and maritime police officers from Southeast Asian and Pacific Island countries to join JS Ise under its Ship Rider Cooperation Program. The Philippine Navy received the naval officers in a disembarkation ceremony at the Manila port.

The Japanese Embassy said in a statement that the engagements serve to enhance the tactical capabilities of the JMSDF, foster mutual understanding and trust among participating navies, and deepen multilateral defense cooperation.

“Such initiatives reflect Japan’s continued commitment to maintaining peace, stability and a rules-based maritime order in the Indo-Pacific region,” the Embassy said. —PNA