President Benigno S. Aquino 3rd has been reported to have said that a stronger Japan would serve as a counterweight to what he sees—and many Filipinos and Southeast Asians too—as the

“threatening” presence of China in the West Philippine Sea. (It is the South China Sea in foreign newspapers and Nanyang or the South Ocean in Chinese).

Japan’s Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida was here on a visit, his first foreign trip as his country’s foremost diplomat since the election last month of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.  FM  Kishida met with President Aquino at Malacañang after discussions with Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario.
At a joint press briefing with Del Rosario, FM Kishida called for stronger ties with the Philippines. This he said would help ensure regional peace, amid tense territorial disputes of both countries with China. The People’s Republic is the world’s second largest economy and, judging by its rate of growth, is the world’s most active and dynamic economy.

In his formal press statement after his meeting with Foreign Secretary del Rosario, Mr. Kishida said:
“As the strategic environment in the region is changing, it is necessary for us as Foreign Ministers to share recognition of the situation, enhance the strategic partnership between the two countries, and cooperate towards shaping peaceful and prosperous Asia- Pacific region. In today’s meeting, we agreed on this point.

“On the economic front, we agreed to advance cooperation in expanding trade and investment by improvement of business environment, improving infrastructure in the Philippines through ODA, accepting Filipino nurses and caregivers in Japan.

“I conveyed Japanese Government’s decision to extend yen loans to 2 projects:

• Project on extension of LRT1&2

• Project on construction of a new airport in Bohol

“On the political and security front, we agreed on strengthening policy dialogue, enhancing maritime cooperation and other measures.

“Regarding Mindanao Peace Process, I welcomed the signing of the Framework Agreement, and we confirmed Japan’s willingness to provide as much support as it can towards achieving peace. In this connection, I announced that the Japanese Government is considering new assistance projects in the field of human resource development and community development in the build-up of the Bangsamoro Government.”

Mr. Kishida also said: “We agreed to cooperate closely in regional frameworks. This year marks the 40th anniversary of Japan-Asean friendship and cooperation. We agreed to reflect upon the past 40 years of cooperation in order to promote concrete cooperation in the enhancement of Asean connectivity, disaster management, youth exchange and other fields, so as to proactively support Asean community building by 2015.”

Later, at a working lunch with Secretary Del Rosario, the Japanese FM and our foreign secretary discussed regional issues including how to deal with nuclear and missile development by North Korea.

Common challenges Japan and PH face
Like us, Japan is locked in a territorial dispute with China.

Their bitter conflict is over the sovereignty of the Tokyo-controlled Senkaku islands, which Beijing calls the Diaoyus.

Aside from that, China has made Japan suffer by sometimes curtailing sales of rare earth minerals. Yesterday, Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe accused China of deliberately allowing Japanese businesses to suffer in the corrosive row over disputed islands.

He said at a press conference in Tokyo: “For political ends, harming Japanese companies and individuals in China that contribute to the Chinese economy and society—I want to say it is wrong for a responsible nation state in the international community.”  He added, “It not only harms bilateral relations, it has a significantly negative influence on China’s economy and its society.”

Secretary del Rosario told media that President Aquino and FM Kishida discussed “common challenges” that both the Philippines and Japan face with China’s increasing assertiveness in the West Philippine Sea.

Secretary Del Rosario said he and Mr. Kishida discussed Japanese help in improving the Philippines’ coast guard capability.

“The acquisition of multirole response vessels is undergoing serious consideration,” Del Rosario said. 

Talks are also going on how to improve Philippine communications equipment and train personnel with Japan’s assistance.

The Philippines wishes to obtain, through ODA loans, 10 new patrol boats from Japan so we can guard our territorial waters more effectively.

Japan, Secretary del Rosario said, continued to be the leading Philippine source of development loans.

Calling a spade a spade
What President Aquino said about a stronger Japan being as a counterweight to China is very true. 

And that is why in December he also expressed agreement along with Foreign Secretary del Rosario when Japanese Prime Minister Abe’s aides were publicized to have talked about junking their country’s Peace Constitution so that Japan could re-arm properly.

Perhaps, though, our President need not be so candid.  He could let Secretary del Rosario do the hardtalking.

His forthrightness was surely appreciated by the hawks in Japan.  But it surely sounded harsh to Chinese ears.

Specially those of Chinese Ambassador to Manila Ma Keqing who has been successful in sounding so peaceable and in the process making the Philippines look belligerent.

We should do everything to have a more credible defense capability, and we should attract help—from Japan, the United States, South Korea and others. But we should at least sound as if in dealing with China we want economics, not geopolitics, to define our relations.  

This is not to say that it was not China’s fault that we had to make defensive noises when it took over our sovereign territory in the West Philippine.  We simply wish our President to be more diplomatic.

Our leaders should not forget that the US, China and Japan are our strategic partners.
We should be friends with all three.