Arab News Japan
TOKYO: Japan plans to provide defense equipment to Djibouti under its Official Security Assistance (OSA), according to government officials.
Japan will aid the armed forces of “like-minded countries” that share its values, the report says. The Philippines, Indonesia, and Mongolia have also been designated as recipients of OSA grant aid for fiscal 2024. Japan has allocated 5 billion yen ($33 million) in its initial budget for the current fiscal year, according to the report.
Tokyo launched the OSA in April 2023 to help recipient countries boost their defense capabilities amid security concerns, including China’s growing military assertiveness.
Kyodo’s source says Japan plans to provide the Philippines with radar to help the Southeast Asian country deal with China’s expanding military presence in the South China Sea, where Philippine vessels have been encountering aggressive actions from China, which is trying to claim sovereignty over much of the South China Sea.
Last year, the Japanese government decided to provide Manila with a coastal surveillance radar system under the new grant aid program. The Philippines had been designated as an OSA recipient for fiscal 2023, along with Malaysia, Bangladesh, and Fiji.
Mongolia, bordering China and Russia, is expected to be given air traffic control equipment, while Indonesia and Djibouti could receive equipment, possibly vessels, to ensure their maritime security, the report said.