(UPDATE) DEFENSE Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. held separate talks with Japan, Netherlands, and Ukraine concerning defense cooperation on the sidelines of the Shangri-la Dialogue on Sunday.
Teodoro and Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani’s meeting took place after their last engagement in Manila in February 2025, which preceded the visit to the Philippines of Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba last April.
Teodoro thanked Japan for its continued trust and goodwill. Nakatani welcomed Teodoro’s retention in office and reaffirmed Japan’s desire for deeper involvement in military exercises like Balikatan and Kamandag upon the entry into force of the…