MANILA - Japan's defence minister said on Tuesday (May 5) his country was eyeing the early transfer of Abukuma class destroyers and TC-90 aircraft to the Philippines after Tokyo unveiled its biggest overhaul of defence export rules in decades .
- Shinjiro Koizumi at a press conference during a visit to Manila said Japan had agreed with the Philippines to further promote defence technology under a new framework for the transfer of defence equipment.
- Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said both sides agreed in principle on the transfer of defence equipment and were working on details.
- Both ministers did not provide a timetable for the equipment transfer, but agreed to establish a working group to craft policy and operational requirements for the eventual transfer.
- Japan and the Philippines are key allies of the United States and Japan and have been locked in maritime disputes with China, in the East and South China Seas respectively.
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