News about Japan

[Tom MoodyParticipant]

Japan to offer ¥5 billion to four countries in latest OSA military aid tranche

Japan is more than doubling the budget for its military aid program, with the Foreign Ministry earmarking ¥5 billion ($33 million) for this fiscal year, compared with ¥2 billion a year earlier, as Tokyo seeks to strengthen the security and deterrence capabilities of like-minded countries amid growing concerns over the regional security environment.
A ministry official also confirmed Monday that the next beneficiaries of Japan’s official security assistance (OSA) framework are likely to be the Philippines, Indonesia, Mongolia and Djibouti.

“We are currently in the process of finalizing discussions (both) within the government of Japan and with the governments of these candidate countries, with a view to providing them with equipment that will contribute to improving security capabilities, such as monitoring and surveillance,” the official told The Japan Times.

Once the procedures have been completed, there will be a “signing and exchange of notes,” the official said.

No details were provided about the equipment being offered to these countries but they could potentially include assets such as radars and patrol vessels.

Once finalized, the move will mark the second tranche of OSA, with the beneficiaries of last year’s inaugural funding being the Philippines, Malaysia, Fiji and Bangladesh.

First announced in Japan’s revised 2022 National Security Strategy, the OSA framework is meant to provide equipment, supplies and infrastructure development assistance to partner countries, mostly in the Indo-Pacific region, in the form of grants rather than loans.

The framework, which was instituted amid growing tensions over territorial disputes between Manila and Beijing, marks a break with Japan’s previous policy of avoiding the use of development aid for military purposes other than disaster relief.

Government officials say the aim is to strengthen these nations’ security and deterrence capabilities to “reinforce” the region’s “comprehensive defense architecture” and create a more favorable security environment for Japan.

The program, which is tailored to a specific country’s needs, is part of Tokyo’s efforts to expand and bolster its network of security partners to not only counterbalance China’s growing military strength but also its increasing clout with a number of countries, including in South Asia and Southeast Asia.

0

0

[Author]

Posts