Duterte visits Japan navy ships in Subic

MANILA, Philippines — A Japanese flotilla, composed of Japan’s biggest warship to drop anchor in Philippine waters since World War II as well as two destroyers, was personally welcomed by President Duterte at the Alava Wharf in Subic Bay, Olongapo yesterday.

Commodore Jonathan Zata, Navy spokesman, said helicopter carrier JS Kaga (DDH-184), Akuzuki-class destroyers JS Suzutsuki (DD-117), and Murasama-class JS Inazuma (DD105) arrived at Alava Port at around 8 a.m.

President Duterte was accorded foyer honors upon boarding the carrier Kaga. Malacañang said the President’s gesture showed his administration’s warm ties with Japan.

“The Philippine Navy (PN) rendered the customary naval honors for the arriving Japanese warships belonging to the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) Escort Flotilla Four,” Zata said.

The three warships have a total of 850 officers and crew members, who will participate in various civic activities along with their local counterparts.

Zata described the goodwill visit of the JMSF warships as routine navy-to-navy engagements.

“As you may recall, the JMSDF provided us with five TC90 planes with some of these planes, after being refurbished, are now being used for maritime air surveillance,” Zata said.

For this year alone, JMDSF warships have already made three port calls.

Kaga is the biggest Japanese warship to visit the country since World War II, Zata pointed out.

The increase in the frequency of port calls in the country by Japanese warships comes at a time when the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom (UK) are stepping up their respective naval activities in the South China Sea in the face of China’s expanding naval presence in the region.

“Both navies (Philippines’ and Japan’s) share strategic partnership and common interests of a peaceful and stable region and rules-based approach to international engagements and resolution of conflict,” Commodore Antonio Pacles, commander of the PN’s Sealift Amphibious Assault Force, said in remarks welcoming the visiting Japanese navy officers and sailors.

Rear Admiral Tatsuya Fukuda, flotilla commander, said their visit is primarily aimed at improving operational capabilities as well as enhancing interoperability and cooperation with Japan’s allies “while contributing to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific Region.”