December 3, 2025

TOKYO – Japan plans to export to the Philippines a command and control system that will also be used for gathering information, according to Japanese government sources.

If the plan between the two countries’ governments is realized, it will be the first time Japan exports a command and control system for military purposes.

The two governments aim to make it easier for the Self-Defense Forces and the Philippine military to share information as well as strengthen their capabilities for dealing with China’s moves in the East and South China Seas.

The system, developed domestically by Mitsubishi Electric Corp., gathers and analyzes information on another country’s aircraft and ships that have been detected by radar and sends instructions to military units.

It is likely that the company will soon sign a contract with the Philippine government.

The Philippines has a territorial dispute with China in the South China Sea and has been dealing with China’s obstructive actions. In one incident, a China Coast Guard ship rammed a non-military Philippine government vessel.

By utilizing the new system from Japan, the Philippine government wants to be able to quickly learn about and respond to such moves made by China.

Japan is also dealing with China’s moves in the East China Sea. If the Philippine military utilizes the Japan-made system, it is likely to make sharing radar information between the two counties easier.

If information sharing between Japan and the Philippines progresses, their capabilities of monitoring the moves of the Chinese Navy and Air Force, which have been trying to advance into the Pacific Ocean and areas around Taiwan, will be enhanced.

Japan and the Philippines, which both face threats from China, are deepening security cooperation as quasi-allies.

At a meeting between the two countries’ defense ministers in February, the ministers agreed to establish a new high-level framework to discuss Japan’s exports of defense equipment to the Philippines.

In 2023, Japan exported an air-defense radar system manufactured by Mitsubishi Electric to the Philippines. It is believed that the Philippine government liked the radar system’s operational capabilities as well as its interoperability with Philippine systems.

The radar system was the first fully assembled defense equipment exported by Japan under the Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology.

The operational guideline of the principles restricts the types of defense equipment that can be exported to those in five categories: rescue, transportation, vigilance, surveillance and minesweeping.

As the new system falls under the vigilance and surveillance category, the Japanese government judged it is possible to export it.

The Philippine government is also showing interest in the SDF’s Type 03 mid-range surface-to-air missiles for air defense.

As the Japanese government is discussing abolishing the export restrictions, if realized, exporting such defense equipment as surface-to-air missiles will become possible.