A ranking official of the Department of National Defense (DND) has expressed his appreciation to Japan for its “proactive role” in fostering a free, stable, resilient, and prosperous Indo-Pacific Region.

A statement released Thursday said DND Undersecretary for Strategic Assessment and Planning Ignacio Madriaga made this comment during the recently-concluded 14th Japan-ASEAN Defense Vice-Ministerial Forum (DVMF) held in Fukuoka on Feb. 11.

“Recognizing fundamental shifts in the security environment and the evolving character of security challenges, Undersecretary Madriaga expressed appreciation for Japan’s proactive role in fostering a free, stable, resilient, and prosperous region, and reaffirmed the Philippines’ commitment to work with ASEAN and Japan towards practical solutions to persisting and arising security concerns,” DND spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arsenio Andolong said.

Attended by Vice-Ministerial representatives from eight other ASEAN Member States, Timor-Leste, and the ASEAN Secretariat, the high-level engagement was hosted by Japanese Vice Minister of Defense for International Affairs Kano Koji.

The DVMF is a platform initiated by Japan and annually hosted by the Japanese Ministry of Defense to expand and elevate its defense and security cooperation with ASEAN member states.

It aims to achieve a shared vision for the future of the Indo-Pacific Region.

This year’s iteration of the forum centered on key achievements and prospects for further cooperation under the Japan-ASEAN Ministerial Initiative for Enhanced Defense Cooperation or “JASMINE,” which sets the direction of Japan’s practical cooperation with ASEAN defense institutions in niche areas such as maritime security, air domain awareness, cyber security, climate responses, and the emerging area of space.

“During the occasion, Undersecretary Madriaga recognized Japan’s unwavering commitment to advancing defense and security cooperation with ASEAN, placing emphasis on Japan’s positive contributions to ASEAN’s capacity-building under ‘JASMINE’,” Andolong added.

In the DVMF, Madriaga recognized Tokyo’s unwavering commitment to advancing defense and security cooperation with ASEAN, placing emphasis on Japan’s positive contributions to ASEAN’s capacity-building under JASMINE.

“These, he noted, serve to complement practical initiatives under ASEAN-led regional mechanisms, particularly the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) and ADMIM-Plus,” Andolong added.

On the sidelines, Madriaga met with counterparts from Japan and Singapore to review the progress of the two countries’ bilateral defense and security cooperation with the Philippines, as well as discuss the future direction of cooperation within the ASEAN defense sector. (PNA)