Japan and the Philippines finalized an agreement for the grant transfer of five naval ships, Abukuma-class destroyer escorts, from Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force to the Philippine Navy, with deliveries expected within two to three years, Naval News reported on 7 July 2026.
The vessels would be donated rather than sold, as Philstar had reported on 6 May 2026, marking the first time Japan had transferred retired naval surface combatants to a foreign navy under its evolving defense equipment transfer framework.
Efforts Category: Japan’s Military Support of the Philippines
Reuters reported on 9 July 2026 that scholars from China‘s academic institutions, including Nanjing University, had argued at a 30 June symposium that Batanes — the Philippines‘ northernmost island-chain province located approximately 160 km south of Taiwan in the strategically important Luzon Strait — was a natural extension of Taiwan and therefore belonged to China. The claims were reported by Chinese state-run media on 2 July.
Efforts Category: China’s Soft Power Subversion against the Philippines (re Batanes province)
Modern Great Game Watch 