Japan and the Philippines use new military supply pact for first time
Japan and the Philippines used their new military supply-sharing agreement for the first time during a joint disaster-relief drill that ended Friday. Philippine airmen refueled a Japanese transport plane. Both countries are U.S. allies and are building closer defense ties as China presses claims at sea.
Japan and the Philippines have taken a new step in their growing military partnership.
During a joint air force exercise in the Philippines, the two countries used their Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement, or ACSA, for the first time, Jiji Press reported. A Japanese C-130H transport plane received fuel and other support from the Philippine Air Force.
The agreement lets the two militaries share supplies and services, such as fuel and food. It was signed in January and took effect in August, the Philippine Daily Inquirer reported.
"The first application of the Acsa represents an important step and symbolizes that defense cooperation between the two countries has entered a new stage," Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said, according to Kyodo News.
The drill, called Doshin-Bayanihan, ran from Oct. 4 to Oct. 9. It focused on humanitarian aid and disaster relief. Crews practiced dropping supplies from the air, loading cargo, landing at night with night-vision goggles, handling mass casualties and flying out the injured. Training took place on the islands of Leyte and Mactan, with the Inquirer also listing an airport in Palawan, which faces the South China Sea.
"Doshin" means "same mind" in Japanese, and "bayanihan" means "mutual support" in Filipino. This was the sixth time the two air forces held the drill.
The two countries have been moving closer. A separate agreement that lets their troops train in each other's countries took effect in September 2025. Both are allies of the United States and have faced pressure from China at sea. Philippine ships and fishermen have had repeated run-ins with Chinese forces in disputed waters.
What we know: the supply pact was used for the first time.
What we don't: how often it will be used outside of drills.
Where outlets agree Jiji Press and the Inquirer both report the Philippine Air Force supplied fuel to a Japanese aircraft under the ACSA during the Doshin-Bayanihan drill.
Where they differ The outlets cited here report the same key facts so far.