Japan's Abe pledges to beef up Philippines maritime defences

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Saturday pledged to strengthen the Philippines' maritime defence capabilities.

"For Japan, the Philippines is a strategic partner with whom we share fundamental values and many strategic interests," Abe told a joint news conference with Philippine president Benigno Aquino after their meeting in Manila.

Abe said his visit was intended "to strengthen the relations with the Philippines in all areas," - including politics, security and the economy.

He cited 10 patrol boats that Japan is providing to the poorly-equipped Philippine coast guard.

The Filipino coast guard and navy have been at the forefront of tense encounters with naval and maritime surveillance vessels from China.

Japan earlier this year announced it would make loans to the Philippines to purchase the 10 Japanese patrol vessels for its coast guard.

"The prime minister and I agreed to strengthen maritime cooperation which is a pillar of our strategic partnership," Aquino said yesterday.

Abe said his party's decisive victory in the upper house of the Japanese parliament would help him pursue his vision of Tokyo's role in the region - many parts of which were under brutal Japanese occupation during World War II.

He sought to assure the rest of Asia that his vision for a more robust Japanese armed forces would not threaten the region's peace and security.

"I intend to further proceed with strategic diplomacy which will contribute to regional and global peace and security," he said.

Abe has pledged to loosen limits on the military in Japan's pacifist, post-war constitution and stand up to China over their East China Sea dispute.

He acknowledged at a separate news conference, after he appeared with Aquino, that a more assertive Japanese military was a sensitive issue.

"I intend to explain politely so that the countries in the region will not have any misunderstanding," he said.

As Abe and Aquino met at the presidential palace, about 80 protesters, including elderly women who said they were former "comfort women," protested nearby, holding signs demanding reparations from Japan.