Japan must ramp up ties with Philippines

During their meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte agreed to bolster bilateral cooperation for ensuring maritime security and regarding other matters. The two leaders also affirmed the significance of the Japan-US and US-Philippine alliances.
Regarding the July international arbitration court ruling that rejected Chinese sovereignty claims in the South China Sea, a joint statement issued by Japan and the Philippines mentions the importance of addressing their territorial and jurisdictional disputes by peaceful means in accordance with international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. This is very significant.
Referring to the South China Sea, Abe told Duterte it “is a matter of concern to the international community that is directly related to regional peace and stability”.
Duterte responded by saying he hopes to resolve the issues related to the South China Sea “peacefully under the rule of law and based on international law”. Referring to the arbitration court ruling, he said his country would not take a position different to the ruling and intends to stand always on the side of Japan.
The joint statement by the Philippines and China, issued last week during Duterte’s China visit, calls for resolving the issue “through friendly consultations and negotiations by sovereign states directly involved” but without mentioning the arbitration court ruling, thereby effectively shelving the dispute. This reflected China’s strategy for alienating the Philippines from Japan and the United States.

US engagement vital
It seems Duterte intends to pursue a diplomacy to gain economic benefits by giving consideration both to Japan and China, while weighing the benefits of choosing between the two countries.
Securing the safety of sea-lanes is a challenge facing not only coastal nations but also all countries that navigate ships. An easy compromise would lead to approving a unilateral change of the status quo. It is essential for Japan and the United States, among other countries, to closely cooperate with the Philippines.
Abe told Duterte that US engagement is crucial for the peace and prosperity of Asia and the Pacific, taking into consideration Duterte’s repeated criticism of Washington. Addressing a lecture held before the meeting with Abe, Duterte expressed his intention to ask that US troops leave his country in two years.
During the meeting with Abe, Duterte explained that he did not intend to “sever diplomatic relations with the United States”. It is not easy to eliminate his distrust of the United States, but Japan should persistently serve as a mediator to improve Washington-Manila relations.
Regarding the anti-drug campaign at the top of Duterte’s policy agenda, Abe expressed Japan’s willingness to assist in such fields as rehabilitation of drug addicts. The United States and some other countries have criticized the Philippines’ strong-arm crackdown on drug violators. It is important that Japan advises Manila to also pay regard to the concerns of Europe and the United States.
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the normalisation of Japan-Philippine diplomatic relations. Based on this long friendship, it is advisable that Japan continues empathetic cooperation. This would help rectify Manila’s rapid tilt toward Beijing.