Japan and the Philippines conducted their first military drill in October 2025 as part of a key defense pact that came into effect in September.

The Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA), signed in July 2024, allows Tokyo and Manila to deploy forces on each other's soil.

Victor Andres "Dindo" Manhit, a geopolitical analyst in Manila, says the new pact elevates the allies' cooperation to a new level, including "not only at the air force level, army level, naval level, but even cyberspace."

"In those four domains, we are expecting a strong collaboration, and Japan will be able to help us as we try to modernize in our own little way," Manhit added.

The agreement could be seen as a response to escalating tensions between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea. Japan, in turn, has a separate territorial dispute with China over islands in the East China Sea. 

China's neighbors boost defenses 

Tokyo has offered to export up to six naval warships to the Philippines to improve Manila's maritime defense. The Abukuma-class destroyers are currently in service with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.

Manhit believes there is "a lot more" room for cooperation in the future.

"Remember, this is just a few months into execution, so if we are seeing hyper drive with activities, especially on maritime cooperation activities, you can expect more," he said. 

Because of China's economic rise, its increased military spending, and its more aggressive stance in disputed regions, more countries in the Indo-Pacific have had to also bolster their own defenses.

Beijing slams joint exercises with US forces

One example is the Second Thomas Shoal, which is part of the Spratly Islands, in an area militarily occupied by the Philippines. Beijing insists the shoal rightfully belongs to China.

In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled that China's claims did not have any basis under international law. 

China rejected the verdict, accusing the Philippines of operating in Chinese waters. Philippine vessels have often faced aggressive encounters from Chinese ships around the disputed shoals, including being followed, surrounded, attacked with water cannons and laser beams by the Chinese Coast Guard.

In what could be seen as a message to China, the Philippines, Japan and the US held joint exercises in the South China Sea on November 14 and 15, under the Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity (MMCA). The maneuvers  were held in the waters that Manila refers to as the West Philippine Sea.

The move prompted harsh response from Beijing, with Chinese officials saying the drills "undermined peace and stability in the region."

China halts Japanese food imports

The drills involving the US Navy also come amid a spat between Beijing and Tokyo after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested Japan could respond in self-defense in case China attacks Taiwan.

An online post by Xue Jian, China's consul general in the Japanese city of Osaka, criticized Takaichi's comments and, in what could be considered a threat to the Japanese PM, said that "we just need to chop off their dirty heads." The post has since been deleted. 

China has responded by halting Japanese seafood imports and advising its citizens against traveling to Japan. Nearly 500,000 airline tickets to Japan have been canceled. 

Kei Koga, an associate professor at the Public Policy and Global Affairs Program at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University (NTU), says China's strategy is to apply pressure to Japan, which might also impact the Philippines.

"I believe that China considers PM Takaichi's statement a great opportunity to pressure a potentially strong conservative government in Japan," he told DW.

"And in so doing, probably China attempts to drive a wedge between the US and Japan, and possibly between Japan and others, including the Philippines." 

Philippines eyes risks over Taiwan

China claims the self-ruled island of Taiwan as part of its territory and has threatened to use force to bring it under its control.

In August, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said that any conflict over Taiwan would inevitably mean his country would be drawn in "kicking and screaming." China has said the Philippines would be "playing with fire" if this were to happen.  

Koga says Manila's focus is mainly on the South China Sea and protecting its own interests in the region.

"Japan and the United States have been discussing a potential Taiwan contingency with regard to how they could cooperate, and given the geographical proximity, they want to discuss the issue with the Philippines," he said.

"The Philippines' immediate strategic focus is on the South China Sea, and they would consider [that] defense and defense-related cooperation can empower them to resist or deter China's assertiveness there," Koga added.

"The Philippines is concerned about such a contingency because there are over 160,000 Filipinos in Taiwan, so the country needs to care about it, but for military cooperation in times of contingency, I believe the Philippines has yet to have any clear plan," he concluded.

Edited by: Keith Walker