Japan, the United States, Australia and the Philippines will conduct their first full-scale joint naval exercises in the South China Sea, in an apparent show of unity against China's maritime assertiveness.
A nonprofit organization founded by a Japanese man three decades ago is having an impact on child development in the Philippines, with personnel dedicated to teaching poor children life skills and self-awareness to enable them to blossom into adulthood.
The Philippines has taken steps to ensure foreign nationals detained in its main immigration facility in Manila cannot conduct criminal activities the way the "Luffy"-led Japanese crime ring organized burglaries until they were busted a year ago, the country's justice secretary said recently.
Philippines Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro expressed hope on Tuesday that a joint exercise by Philippine and Japanese troops under a new bilateral security pact "could be" held as early as next year.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida expresses his determination to lead the world "toward cooperation rather than division and confrontation," as he vowed to deepen relations with the Philippines.