Japanese Coastal Surveillance Radars to Help Philippines Monitor China

The Philippines took delivery of five Coastal Radar Systems from Japan during a ceremony held at Camp Aguinaldo on Wednesday.

The ceremony was led by Secretary of National Defense Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr. and Ambassador of Japan to the Philippines His Excellency Endo Kazuya.

The milestone highlighted the deepening strategic partnership between the Philippines and Japan, anchored on a shared commitment to maritime security, regional stability, and the realization of a free and open Indo-Pacific.

Funded under the OSA FY 2023 grant amounting to JPY 600,000,000 (~$4 million), the Coastal Radar Systems will enhance the Philippine Navy's Maritime Domain Awareness. The project includes radar units, surveillance and monitoring equipment, communications systems, and other support components designed to strengthen coastal monitoring and maritime security operations.

The integration of these systems is expected to expand surveillance coverage, improve early detection and tracking of surface contacts, and enhance coordination in maritime operations. The capability will support intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions, humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR), and other lawful security operations.

Ambassador Endo said, “peace and stability cannot be taken for granted. It must be actively and collectively sustained.” He noted that the radar systems are “expected to significantly enhance the country’s maritime domain awareness by improving the ability to monitor activities in the surrounding waters.”

“Such awareness is indispensable for safeguarding maritime security, protecting lawful activities at sea, and responding effectively to potential risks,” Endo said.

Without naming China, he referred to tensions in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims almost entirely, including areas within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ). He said the sea is a vital trade and energy route, making its safety and stability critical to national security and prosperity.

Manila accuses Beijing of conducting dangerous maneuvers, water-cannoning, and interference in resupply missions.

Japan’s OSA, established under its 2022 National Security Strategy, provides assistance to like-minded countries to deepen security cooperation. Since the launch of OSA in 2023, the Philippines has been the only country to receive OSA for three consecutive years.