Overview

• Talks remain at an early stage with no formal offer issued as discussions await a joint visual inspection this summer
• Six Abukuma-class destroyer escorts commissioned between 1989 and 1993 are proposed for transfer under a joint development framework to comply with Japan’s export rules
• Philippine experts will assess the ships’ anti-submarine and anti-ship systems, crew requirements and maintenance status during the inspection
• Both countries have ratified a reciprocal access agreement that allows mutual deployments and combined exercises on each other’s territory
• A potential handover by 2027 aligns with Japan’s decommissioning schedule and supports the Philippines’ naval modernization in response to China’s assertive maritime actions