Overview

• Defense and economic cooperation between the United States, Japan, and the Philippines is expected to increase following their first-ever trilateral leaders’ summit.
• The summit discussions will include infrastructure, cyber, energy, emerging technologies, critical minerals, as well as defense and security.
• Joint naval patrols in the South China Sea are planned for later this year, marking Tokyo’s first participation in such exercises.
• The U.S. and Japan will discuss the joint production of defense equipment, aiming to bolster military supply chain resilience.
• The meetings signal a historic upgrade in the U.S.-Japan security partnership and a new phase in trilateral engagement with the Philippines.