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Japan today pledged to help the Philippines protect "remote island" of this country, in the context of both Tokyo and Manila have expressed concern before the move requires strong maritime sovereignty of China over time .

Japan's defense minister and the Philippines showed determination to strengthen cooperation. Photo: AFP
 

Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera met counterpart Voltaire Gazmin home in the capital, Manila, Philippines, today, in the two-day visit to the Southeast Asian country.

 

Mr. Onodera said China's demand for nearly all of the South China Sea dispute with Japan over the East China Sea is the high level discussions between Tokyo and Manila.

 

"We agreed that the need to further deepen cooperation to protect these remote islands, territorial waters and protect the maritime interests," Onodera said at a joint news conference.

 

"We are faced with similar situations. Extremely Japanese side concerns the situation in the South China Sea can influence the situation in the East China Sea," AFP quoted him as saying.

 

Philippines Defense Minister welcomed the proposal of Japanese support. "We agreed to continue programs to exchange information, exchange technology to help build mutual relationships stronger national defense," he said.

 

Both ministers did not provide details of defense exchange content, but in February, Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said the country is expected to import 10 new patrol ships from Japan within 18 months.

 

In recent years, Japan and the Philippines to develop trade relations, investment and defense on a closer. December last year, Del Rosario said he told the Financial Times that the re-armed Japan would help regional counterweight to China.

 

Mr. Onodera and Gazmin also welcomed the strengthening of the presence of the U.S. military, allies of both countries, in Asia. However, Onodera said Japanese tend to avoid conflict with China.

 

"I also want to emphasize that the current situation should not be transformed into a use of force that is required through the legal system," Japanese Defense Minister said.

 

China claims virtually the entire South China Sea, including waters near the coast of the neighboring countries. Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam also have overlapping claims here.

 

Philippines repeatedly criticized China's "bullying" in sea disputes and called on the U.S. and its allies to support Japan Manila. Philippines says China last year accounted for an atoll in the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines.

 

China and Japan also have competing claims on the Senkaku Islands / Diaoyu in the East China Sea. Islands controlled by Japan but China actually regularly approaching ships and aircraft for nearly a year.