On August 4, Japan officially released its 2026 edition of the Defense White Paper, hyping so-called "regional security threats" and emphasizing cooperation with allies and like-minded countries to address "challenges." 

Public records show that Japan has provided defense equipment to the Philippines free of charge for three consecutive years and is accelerating the transfer of used destroyers to the country on a continuous basis. The strengthening collusion between Japan and the Philippines not only facilitates the spread of "neo-militarism" into Southeast Asia and paves the way for Japan's own military expansion, but more seriously, it severely undermines the post-war international order and the ASEAN security order, threatening regional peace and stability. Framed as "cooperation" in response to so-called "external threats," this "gift" from Japan will only bring trouble upon the Philippines itself.