Japan is fully and prominently participating in the annual Balikatan (shoulder-to-shoulder) military drills led by the Philippines and the US, which warrants the vigilance of the entire Asia-Pacific region. 

The United States, aiming to shape the Indo-Pacific order; Japan, leveraging the moment to expand its military role; and the Philippines, deepening its security ties with allies and partners—together, under the banner of “freedom, peace, and prosperity,” stand shoulder to shoulder in ways that risk undermining regional stability.