The Honorable General Victor S. Ibrado, Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines;
The Honorable Undersecretary Antonio C Santos, Jr., Department of National Defense;
Excellencies,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen:
It is my great honor and pleasure to welcome you all to this reception marking the 55th Anniversary of the Japan Self-Defense Forces (SDF).
Before talking about Japan's security policy and Self Defense Forces, I am pleased to inform you that Her Excellency President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and His Excellency Prime Minister Taro Aso agreed last month in Tokyo to further expand and strengthen bilateral relations to ‘foster a strategic partnership for the future' based on the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA), which entered into force last December. This ‘strategic partnership' does not mean that Japan and the Philippines will set up a similar security alliance as the Japan-U.S. alliance or the Philippines-U.S. alliance. However, it demonstrates both sides' recognition of each other as strategically important partner for the future. I will spare no efforts to further expand and strengthen the bilateral relations towards that end.
Now, let me briefly familiarize you with Japan's security policy and the evolving role of SDF. Although the security environment has changed dramatically since the SDF was established in 1954, the basic pillars of Japan's security policy remain unchanged. These are:
First , to uphold an exclusively defense-oriented policy, without any power projection capabilities such as long range missiles and aircraft carriers. The defense budget is limited within 1 percent of our GDP, of which only about 18 percent is allocated for the procurement of arms and equipment;
Second , to firmly adhere to the three non-nuclear principles of not possessing, not producing, and not permitting the introduction of nuclear weapons into Japan;
Third , to ensure civilian control; and
Fourth , to firmly maintain the Japan-US Security Treaty.
On the other hand, in order for Japan to contribute further to the peace and stability of the world, the security environment of which has been changing rapidly, we have decided that the SDF should play more active roles in international peace cooperation activities. I would like to mention one example.
Recently, Japan has started deploying Maritime SDF destroyers and surveillance aircraft to the Gulf of Aden, off the coast of Somalia, in the fight against piracy, providing security not only for Japanese vessels but also for vessels of other countries. I believe this anti-piracy effort at the center of world maritime trade will provide security for tens of thousands of Filipino seamen who are working for the global maritime trade.
In the context of the Japan's cooperation in the Philippines, I would like to congratulate the Philippines and the United States for co-hosting the successful joint training of the first ASEAN Regional Forum Voluntary Demonstration of Response on Disaster Relief held in the Philippines. Japan sent nearly one hundred SDF personnel who participated in various activities for disaster response as the largest group. I believe that this also brought our two countries' partnership one step forward toward strengthening bilateral cooperation in the field of disaster relief.
As to the high-level defense exchanges, Undersecretary Antonio Santos and retired General Cardozo Luna, former Vice Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), visited Japan last March to attend a meeting of Senior Defense Officials. On Japan's part, Parliamentary Vice Minister Nobuo Kishi was in the Philippines last May to observe the ARF-Voluntary Demonstration I mentioned earlier. In addition to these high-level dialogues or visits, about fifteen (15) officers of the AFP have been attending seminars and conferences hosted by the Japanese Ministry of Defense and the Self-Defense Forces every year. I am confident that through these defense exchange programs, mutual understanding and friendship will deepen further between the officials concerned.
Thank you for your attention, and now I would like to propose a toast for the continued cooperation towards strategic partnership between Japan and the Philippines, the continued friendship among the diplomatic corps and defense attachés corps, and the good health and success of everyone in this gathering.
Embassy of Japan in the Philippines