Joint naval drills by the US, Japan, the Philippines and Australia on Sunday prompted China’s military to respond with its own heightened naval and air patrol in the South China Sea on Sunday.
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.
Japan, the United States, Australia and the Philippines are set to hold a joint naval exercise on Sunday off the Southeast Asian country's Palawan Island in the South China Sea, multiple government sources say, amid China's continuing aggressive actions.
Talks with Tokyo on a military base reciprocal access agreement are the latest Philippine effort to bolster the forces Manila can rely on to confront China. However, agreements with Japan and the US would not apply if the Philippines takes aggressive action in the territory of another state.
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.