COMPREHENSIVE ENGAGEMENT IN THE NEXT SIX YEARS

President Duterte is pursuing a relatively balanced great power policy characterized by gravitating closer to China while crafting some diplomatic distance from the United States. This policy, unsurprisingly, has unsettled both the United States and Japan.

The Japanese government decided to persevere with its nuanced approach in dealing with the Philippines. A senior Japanese official admitted that while the Tokyo and Washington share the same goal, they do not share their approach to relations; there are some things that Manila can only accept when Japan provides them. Sensing that China would take advantage of the tension between the US and the Philippines, Japan adopted a policy of comprehensive engagement with the Philippines.

During his official visit to Japan in October, President Duterte and Prime Minister Abe discussed greater politico-social and defense cooperation, particularly in maritime domain awareness and maritime security.

During their meeting, Duterte recognized that the Philippines and Japan were in the same situation, pointing out that Japan has a territorial row with China and declaring that “when the time is right, the Philippines will take Japan’s side.” President Duterte also suggested that the Philippines could conduct naval exercises with Japan, despite wanting to suspend them with the United States.

Despite President Duterte’s efforts to engage China for business and for managing tensions in the South China Sea, he has also seen the need to secure more ships from Japan to patrol the Philippines’s maritime territory. President Duterte witnessed the signing of the Memorandum of Implement and Letter of Arrangement for the transfer of Japan Maritime Self- Defense Force (JMSDF)’s training aircraft TC-90s maritime reconnaissance planes for the Philippine Navy (PN). Japan will also provide the training for PN aviators and will develop infrastructure for these aircraft.

The most significant accomplishment of Duterte’s working visit to Japan was the two countries’ signing of the 26th October 2016 Japan-Philippine Joint Statement. The statement