Japan’s military chief meets with top AFP officials

The most senior Japanese military official arrived in the country and met with top Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) officials at Camp Aguinaldo Wednesday afternoon.

Gen. Shigeru Iwasaki, chief of the Joint Staff of the Japanese Self-Defense Force (JSDF) is the highest Japanese military official to visit the country after World War II, Col. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos, AFP spokesman said.

Iwasaki’s visit came following recent pronouncements by the Japanese government that it will provide the Philippines with 10 maritime patrol vessels within this year to augment the country’s maritime fleet in guarding its maritime domain.

Like the Philippines, Japan is also embroiled in a territorial row with China which is also laying maritime domain on several of its islets near Okinawa.

Leading a JSDF military delegation, Iwasaki and AFP chief, Gen. Jessie Dellosa went on closed-door meeting immediately after the arrival honors for him and his party held at the canopy of the AFP headquarters.

But Burgos said the brief meeting between Iwasaki and Dellosa has centered on disaster cooperation between the militaries of the two countries.

“General Iwasaki and his party composed of senior officials for operations of the JSDF are here for the Pacific Partnership 2012 that is currently being held in Samar,” he said.

Pacific Partnership 2012 is a United States Pacific Command (USPACOM)-led civil-military and disaster humanitarian operations being held annually on a selected state within the Asia-Pacific region.

This year it is being held in Samar Island, formerly known as one of the enclaves of the country’s communist insurgents.

“In fact, Gen. Iwasaki and his party flew to Calbayog City to visit the Pacific Partnership where 62 Japanese personnel and the Japanese Ship Oosumi were conducting medical, dental, veterinary, and other civil military operations,” Burgos said.

While in Eastern Visayas, Iwasaki also visited the Philippine Air Force (PAF)’s Tactical Operations Group- 8 ( TOG- 8) based in Tacloban, Leyte.

“We welcome this opportunity to meet with a leader of a military organization who has vast experience in humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR). These meetings will surely help us in further expanding our approaches in preparing for disasters and dealing with its consequences,” Burgos said.