Duterte @ Japan

[Ayoshi]

From Japan Times

Duterte arrives in Japan after softening comments on ‘separation’ from U.S.

Amid concern in Japan about Manila’s apparent pivot away from Washington and toward China, Duterte on the eve of his visit softened his remarks about a “separation” from its longtime ally, the U.S.

“The alliances are alive,” Duterte said in an interview with Japanese media outlets Monday in Manila. “There should be no worry about changes of alliances. I do not need to have alliances with other nations.”

The remarks will be welcomed by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who wants to keep ties with the Philippines tight.

Abe to offer ¥5 billion in loans in talks with Philippine leader Duterte

[/The financial support is aimed at facilitating agricultural development in the southern Philippine island of Mindanao — Duterte’s home base — the sources said Saturday.

< snipped >

Under the aid deal, Japan is expected to extend loans to financial institutions in Mindanao to help farmers expand business and improve productivity.quote]

[Ayoshi]

Duterte assures Japan: No military alliance with China | Rappler - October 26, 2016

MANILA, Philippines – After reading a prepared speech in front of Japanese and Filipino businessmen, the first thing President Rodrigo Duterte did was to assure the Japanese that he has no intention of forging a military alliance with China.

"I went to China for a visit and I would like to assure you that all there was was economics. We did not talk about arms, we did not talk about stationing of troops, we avoided talking about alliances, military or otherwise," he said on Wednesday, October 26, in a Tokyo hotel.

< snipped >

The Philippine President then reminded Japan that, under his administration, the Philippines will pursue an "independent foreign policy," one that doesn't start fights with "friends."

DUTERTE IN JAPAN. President Rodrigo Duterte is greeted by Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Kazuhide Ishikawa upon his arrival at the Haneda International Airport in Tokyo, Japan on October 25, 2016. Photo by Albert Alcain Presidential Photo

[Ayoshi]

From Inquirer.net - October 26, 2016

Philippine, Japanese leaders sign military, economic deals

TOKYO (AP) — The leaders of Japan and the Philippines agreed Wednesday to cooperate in promoting regional peace and stability and endorsed Japan’s provision of patrol boats and military training aircraft to bolster Philippine maritime security, without discussing their alliances with the U.S., whose relationship with Manila has quickly become strained.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said he expected Japan to continue playing an important role in maritime security in the region, including the South China Sea, where Manila has territorial disputes with Beijing. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said South China Sea disputes affect peace in the entire region and that he welcomed Duterte’s recent efforts to improve ties with China.

Japan and the Philippines signed agreements including Japan’s provision of two coast guard boats and T-90 military trainer aircraft as part of its contribution to step upPhilippine maritime security capability. Japan also agreed to support infrastructure and agricultural promotion projects in the Philippines to help economic development.

PH to remain maritime partners with Japan

TOKYO— As he seeks to redefine the country’s foreign policy, President Rodrigo Duterte assured Japan that he would not abandon the country’s security partnership with it and would remain a partner in maritime safety.

Duterte made the declaration in a luncheon in Tokyo hosted by Japanese business organizations.

[Ayoshi]

Duterte visit with Emperor Akihito canceled after prince’s death | Inquirer.net - October 27, 2016

TOKYO, Japan — President Duterte’s state call on Emperor Akihito on Thursday afternoon has been canceled following the death of his Majesty’s uncle, Prince Mikasa.

Duterte condoled with the emperor for his loss of the prince, who was the youngest brother of his father Emperor Hirohito. Mikasa was 100.

[Ayoshi]

Photos taken from japantoday.com


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October 27, 2016

Japan's PM Abe poses doing Duterte's trademark fist gesture | GMA news


Photo: Christopher Bong Go

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Duterte, Abe affirm defense cooperation, peaceful solution to sea row | rappler

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe dealt with a wide range of topics during their bilateral meeting in Japan – from Mindanao development to the dispute over the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

Abe, delivering his statement after their meeting on Wednesday, October 26, affirmed Japan's decision to give the Philippine military TC-90 training airplanes as well as "high-speed small vessel and equipment" for counter-terrorism efforts.

The Japanese leader also expressed support for a peaceful settlement of maritime disputes that could come about with the compliance of concerned countries to an international court ruling last July that nullified China's expansive claim in the West Philippine Sea

[Ayoshi]

Duterte arrival speech and Q and A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voDZqCl0WDg

[adroth]

Duterte says Japan a true friend
By Edith Regalado (The Philippine Star) | Updated October 29, 2016 - 12:00am

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2016/10/29/1638445/duterte-says-japan-true-friend

“I discussed with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in full detail the state of Philippines-Japan ties and we identified points of collaboration that would lead to a common path towards the achievement of shared objectives,”  President Rodrigo Duterte said. AP

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Japan is and will always be a true friend of the Philippines, said President Duterte as he cited gains from his three-day state visit to Tokyo.

Duterte arrived Thursday night at the Davao International Airport on a chartered Philippine Airlines flight.

“I discussed with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in full detail the state of Philippines-Japan ties and we identified points of collaboration that would lead to a common path towards the achievement of shared objectives,” the President said.

The President stressed that by all counts and by any measure, the Philippines’ relation with Japan is excellent.

“And we agreed that we can take things to a higher level by harnessing our respective strengths and using these so both countries can have their economic strength further grow and our countries can continue to play their rightful role in the region,” he pointed out.

< Edited >

“Economic cooperation remains a linchpin between our dynamic relations. As I sought greater partnership to create an enabling environment for both our businesses to thrive, I encouraged private businesses in Japan to invest in the Philippines,” the President added.

The President likewise cited Japan’s being the No. 1 Official Development Assistance partner of the Philippines.

“We also agreed to harness Official Development Assistance to support inclusive growth and sustainable development in the country. Japan is our number one ODA partner and under the JICA, high-impact projects benefiting our urban and rural areas will be undertaken,” Duterte said, referring to the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

< Edited >
 
Not outdoing each other

Earlier in Tokyo, Finance Secretary Carlos Domiguez downplayed an impression that China and Japan were trying to outdo each other in providing investments and loans to the Philippines after Duterte’s successive official trips to both countries.

< Edited >

The President came home from China with about $24 billion in concessionary loans and investments.

“China said they will have available for Official Development Assistance $6 billion; for loans from Bank of China $3 billion; grant of $15 million. That is for the official side,” he said.

Beijing’s investment and loan is pegged at around $10 billion. “Then there is another $14 billion business-to-business Memorandum of Understanding,” Dominguez noted. In Japan, Dominguez said the B-to-B totaled $2 billion. – Christina Mendez                           

[adroth]

Duterte: I rejected Japan missile offer
By Christina Mendez
Philippine Star
14 January, 2017

https://sg.news.yahoo.com/duterte-rejected-japan-missile-offer-000000071.html

President Duterte has declined an offer by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to provide missiles to the Philippines, saying he does not want to see a Third World War.

 Speaking at the 49th annual installation of trustees and officers of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry at Marco Polo Hotel in Davao, Duterte revealed the offer last night following Abe’s visit to Davao City on Friday.

“If we start a third world war, that would be the end (of the world),” he said.

< Edited >

[adroth]

This was posted in the FB extension. Might as well make it part of the thread.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/rpdefense/permalink/1190938537658658/

[miggye]

heard from a source with the Office of the Press Secretary that the primary reason the Japanese proposal was rejected was not the Chinese, but the cost. bringing up the Chinese was a face-saving measure. as it was, the Japs were indeed offering SBMS, but at  $7million PER Type88 AShM missile, it was judged pretty steep.....

[Juramentado]

Then they'll want to avoid looking too closely while window-shopping in Moscow. Per Globalsecurity numbers, crosschecked with some missile databases, the average cost of a Bastion P based on the Syrian buy was around 300M USD. Assuming a reasonable breakout that the sensor launchers/tracks and associated hardware makes up about 40% of the cost, that makes it out to be about 5M USD per missile. Within the ballpark. Defense aint cheap, or free. (TM)

[adroth]

The fact that he brought it up in a press conference, however, indicates that even if that option currently isn't being exercised . . . it was still used to send a message: "We want peace, but we have options if things don't go the way we want".

Japan as a source of gear . . . that'll rub China the wrong way in a special way given their history :-)

[adroth]

From two shoulder-taps:

This "missile offer" hasn't gone through the same process as the TC-90s. So the DND hasn't even formally evaluated this option.

[LionFlyer]

The fact that he brought it up in a press conference, however, indicates that even if that option currently isn't being exercised . . . it was still used to send a message: "We want peace, but we have options if things don't go the way we want".

Japan as a source of gear . . . that'll rub China the wrong way in a special way given their history :-)

I didn't read it this way..

The offer, as I see it, was unilateral. At this level, it was probably very preliminary. He could have rejected it quietly or left it to his staffers from DND to evaluate after the meeting without committing.

By openly rejecting it and saying it will cause WW3 (Japan started the Pacific war), it will leave Japan with a sour taste because that's as good as calling them out.

[adroth]

The fact that he brought it up in a press conference, however, indicates that even if that option currently isn't being exercised . . . it was still used to send a message: "We want peace, but we have options if things don't go the way we want".

Japan as a source of gear . . . that'll rub China the wrong way in a special way given their history :-)

I didn't read it this way..

The offer, as I see it, was unilateral. At this level, it was probably very preliminary. He could have rejected it quietly or left it to his staffers from DND to evaluate after the meeting without committing.

That lines up with what we've been hearing.

Whatever offers were made are now on the table. The DND will have to chew on it to see how it fits in with what we want to do . . . and what we can afford to do.

By openly rejecting it and saying it will cause WW3 (Japan started the Pacific war), it will leave Japan with a sour taste because that's as good as calling them out.

,

Had all security-related packages been rejected, then I'd agree with you. "White Ship" related acquisitions and similar security arrangements continue.

Given Japan's own general pacifist tendencies (the current PM's own preferences not withstanding), an open aversion to war would actually be an assurance that any such equipment acquired in the future would not be used for aggression but defense.

It all boils down to how the talks between the two leaders actually transpired. Duterte has been dealing with Japan for years, especially given JICA's heavy presence in Davao. One would hope that he knows how, and how not, to communicate with the rising sun.