Japan will export six of its used navy destroyers to the Philippines in an effort to strengthen Manila’s maritime defense and jointly deter China’s growing influence in regional waters, according to Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun.
The plan involves six Abukuma-class destroyer escorts that have been in service with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) for over 30 years. These warships, originally commissioned between 1989 and 1993, are now being gradually phased out due to personnel shortages and will be replaced by newer vessels that require fewer crew members.
According to the report, Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara and Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro confirmed the transfer deal during a meeting in Singapore in June 2025. The Philippine military is expected to inspect the destroyers this summer as part of the final preparations.
Japan’s Ministry of Defense declined to comment on the report, while there were no immediate responses from the Philippine military or
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