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Japan Increases Defense Ties with Coastal Radars and Patrol Vessels Supplies Under OSA Program.
On December 2, 2024, a Japanese government source revealed that Japan would supply specific defense equipment to the Philippines, Indonesia, Mongolia, and Djibouti under its Official Security Assistance (OSA) program. This program, launched in April 2023, aims to strengthen the defense capacities of nations that share Tokyo's strategic values. For the 2024 fiscal year ending in March, the government allocated a budget of 5 billion yen ($33 million) to support these four priority countries.
Mitsubishi J/FPS-3 Coastal Surveillance Radar (Picture source: Mitsubishi)
In 2024, Japan decided to allocate a significant portion of this aid to the Philippines, which faces escalating Chinese territorial claims in the South China Sea. Tokyo plans to provide advanced maritime surveillance radar systems to Manila to enhance detection and control capabilities in this strategic area. These systems will complement the J/FPS-3 coastal surveillance radar developed by Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, delivered in 2023, which significantly improved the security of the Philippines' territorial waters. Amid recurring confrontations between Philippine and Chinese vessels, these new radars aim to ensure better preparedness and a swift response to incursions.
Mongolia, due to its strategic location between China and Russia, is expected to receive systems including Primary Surveillance Radars (PSR) produced by NEC Corporation, capable of detecting aircraft without transponders, and Secondary Surveillance Radars (SSR), which identify equipped aircraft and provide precise data on their altitude and trajectory. These systems will enable Mongolia to enhance its airspace monitoring capabilities and guard against potential intrusions. Meanwhile, Indonesia and Djibouti could receive Shikishima-class patrol vessels, built by Japan Marine United Corporation (JMU), or equivalent models designed to ensure maritime security and protect strategic trade routes. These vessels aim to counter illegal maritime activities in Indonesian waters and strengthen security in Djibouti's vital maritime corridor.
Since its launch in April 2023, the OSA program reflects a strategic shift in Japan's international security policy. This proactive initiative aims to bolster the defense capacities of its partners in the face of growing threats, particularly China's military expansion. Through this targeted assistance, Tokyo reaffirms its commitment to promoting a free and stable Indo-Pacific while consolidating regional alliances in an increasingly tense geopolitical context.
Japan's arms policy, long defined by a strict pacifist stance, is rooted in Article 9 of its 1947 Constitution adopted after World War II. This article prohibits Japan from using war as a means of resolving international conflicts and restricts its military capabilities to strictly territorial defense. For decades, this approach translated into stringent restrictions on arms exports and an exclusively defensive role for the Self-Defense Forces (SDF).
However, the evolving regional security environment has gradually pushed Tokyo to reassess this policy. Faced with China's growing military power, North Korea's nuclear threats, and the rising strategic importance of the Asia-Pacific region, several key changes have marked this transition. In 1967, the "Three Principles on Arms Exports" established a strict ban on selling arms to communist countries, nations under UN embargo, or those involved in armed conflicts. These restrictions began to ease in 2014 when Prime Minister Shinzo Abe adopted the "Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment," allowing limited exports to countries sharing Japan's democratic values.
A major turning point occurred in 2015 with the adoption of the collective security law, allowing the SDF to intervene to defend allies even if Japan itself is not directly attacked. This change broadened the strictly defensive framework of Japan's military action. In 2023, Tokyo launched the OSA program, designed to provide non-lethal defense equipment to allied countries such as the Philippines, Indonesia, or Mongolia. This program aims to strengthen the defense capacities of partner nations while stabilizing the region amid China's military expansion.
In parallel, Japan significantly increased its military budget, reaching 2% of its GDP in 2024, in line with commitments outlined in its 2022 updated national defense strategy. This record budget marks a paradigm shift for a country that traditionally capped its military spending at around 1% of its GDP. These transformations reflect Japan's intention to play a more active role in regional and international security while asserting its commitment to ensuring a free and stable Indo-Pacific. This strategic shift marks a break from its historical pacifist stance while remaining aligned with contemporary geopolitical challenges.
Outside the OSA framework, Japan has also supplied defense equipment to several countries through bilateral cooperation or specific loans. In 2016, the Philippines received TC-90 training aircraft, initially leased and later transferred permanently in 2018, to bolster maritime surveillance in the contested waters of the South China Sea. In 2020, Japan delivered patrol vessels to Vietnam via a low-interest loan, followed by a 2021 agreement to expand the export of maritime surveillance systems. In 2022, Japan concluded an agreement with Thailand for technology transfers in the defense sector, though specific systems have not been disclosed. Regarding Ukraine, while Japan has not supplied lethal military equipment, it delivered civilian drones, bulletproof vests, and other non-lethal support equipment in 2022 and 2023, underscoring its commitment to supporting Kyiv within the constraints of Japan's constitutional restrictions. These initiatives demonstrate Tokyo's intent to contribute to international security while adapting to the specific needs of its strategic partners.