Japan expands defense aid to four Asian, African nations

By AJP Posted : December 2, 2024, 10:45 Updated : December 2, 2024, 10:57
A Chinese H-6 bomber flies over East China Sea, in this photo taken by Japan Air Self-Defense Force and released by the Joint Staff Office of the Defense Ministry of Japan on May 24, 2022. Reuters-Yonhap
SEOUL, December 2 (AJP) - Japan will provide military equipment worth about US$33 million to four nations including the Philippines and Indonesia in the current fiscal year, as part of its program aimed at strengthening regional defense capabilities.

The initiative reported last Saturday, which comes amid heightened tensions in the Asia-Pacific region, will supply radar systems to the Philippines to counter maritime challenges in the South China Sea, where Beijing has intensified its military presence and claims territorial sovereignty over most of the waters.

Mongolia will receive air traffic control equipment under the program, while Indonesia and Djibouti are likely to acquire maritime security vessels, government sources said.

The latest aid package follows Japan's previous OSA grants to Malaysia, Bangladesh and Fiji last year, signaling Tokyo's growing commitment to support nations that share its strategic interests and values in response to China's expanding military influence in the region.

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