Japan army chief visits Fort Magsaysay

MANILA, Philippines — Japanese Army chief Gen. Koji Yamazaki yesterday visited Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija to see for himself one of Asia’s largest Army training facilities.

Officials said Yamazaki, chief of staff of the Japan Ground Self Defense Force, was in the country for a four-day official visit to bolster army-to-army relations between Japan and the Philippines.

Brig. Gen. Lenard Agustin, commander of the 7th Infantry Division based at Fort Magsaysay, welcomed Yamazaki with arrival honors yesterday morning.

Fort Magsaysay, a 180,000-acre military base in Laur, Nueva Ecija, is recognized as one of the largest military training facilities in Asia with the 7th Infantry Division acting as administrator of the sprawling facility.

Co-located inside the military camp are the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ national maneuver force, Special Operations Command, the foreign-trained Light Reaction Regiment, Army Artillery Regiment, Army Aviation Battalion, Special Forces Regiment and Maneuver Center for the Training and Doctrine Command.

After Yamazaki’s courtesy call, he proceeded on a guided tour of the Special Forces Airborne headquarters.

Agustin regards Yamazaki’s visit as an honor and his presence, just like those of other foreign dignitaries who visited the camp, offers an opportunity to enhance diplomatic ties and strengthen military-to-military camaraderie.

Before his visit to Fort Magsaysay, Yamazaki first paid a courtesy call on his counterpart, Army chief Lt. Gen. Macairog Alberto at Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City following his arrival last March 3.

Army spokesman Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala said Yamazaki’s visit seeks to reinforce the strategic partnership between the Philippines and Japan.

In 2015, the Philippines and Japan signed the Memorandum of Defense Cooperation and Exchanges, providing a framework for defense cooperation between the defense ministries and their respective armed forces.

“My visit implies that my country recognizes the Philippines as a significant strategic partner in East Asia. I’m very honored to be here to strengthen our bilateral relations,” Yamazaki said.