Japan, Philippines to launch working-level destroyer export talks

Japan and the Philippines agreed Tuesday to establish a framework for working-level talks on the export of used destroyers to the Philippines, with the two countries sharing concerns over China's maritime assertiveness.The agreement was reached at a meeting in Manila between Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and his Philippine counterpart Gilberto Teodoro.Last month, Japan revised "the three principles on the transfer of defense equipment and technology," enabling the sale of weapons with lethal capabilities such as destroyers and fighter jets. The potential transfer of destroyers …READ FULL ARTICLE