Japan seeks SE Asia clout with chopper parts for Philippines military — sources

TOKYO: Japan’s army will give thousands of helicopter parts to keep Philippine military choppers airborne, helping Tokyo gain clout with Manila in a contest with China to secure influence over the strategic South China Sea nation, four sources said.

Military diplomacy is a new means for Japan to confound China’s bid for control in the bitterly contested South China Sea as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe seeks a regional military role amid a retreat from decades of state pacifism.

The pact could be the first in a series of similar deals as Tokyo cranks up defence diplomacy with Southeast Asian nations eager for hand-me-down patrol aircraft, ships and other military equipment.

“This is a demonstration of the robust strategic partnership and cooperation of the two allies,” a senior Philippine Air Force commander told Reuters, adding that Japan would deliver around 40,000 parts under the deal.

The value of the parts could not be determined.

The sources, who have knowledge of talks between the two countries, asked not to be identified because they were not authorised to talk to the media.

The supply agreement will be Japan’s first military aid deal since lawmakers scrapped a rule in June barring giveaways of surplus military kit to other countries.

“We are looking at what we will do with our spare parts, but have nothing concrete we can discuss,” said a spokesman for the procurement agency of Japan’s defence ministry.

“In order to strengthen national security we want to push ahead with defence equipment cooperation.” — Reuters