Japan is strategically planning to extend defense equipment and assistance to the Philippines, Indonesia, Mongolia, and Djibouti in the upcoming fiscal year under the Official Security Assistance (OSA) program. Scheduled for fiscal 2024, this initiative is aimed at fostering stronger security relationships with like-minded countries to bolster their defense capabilities without imposing any financial burden on them. Specifically, the Philippines, embroiled in territorial disputes with China in the South China Sea, is poised to receive coastal surveillance radar to fortify its maritime security efforts, with an agreement likely to be finalized by the end of this year.
This proactive approach by Japan, introduced within the OSA program in April 2023, seeks to counterbalance China's expanding military influence within the region. By prioritizing nations sharing similar values and diplomatic challenges, Japan aims to assist in enhancing their security capabilities to effectively deter potential threats. Unlike Official Development Assistance (ODA) that primarily focuses on economic and social development, the OSA program specifically concentrates on supporting foreign nations' security needs, excluding direct assistance to military forces except for disaster relief situations.
With a notable 2.5-fold increase in budget allocation to approximately 5 billion yen for the fiscal year 2024, Japan is strategically navigating geopolitical dynamics to solidify its relationships with key countries. Candidate selections for the program were preceded by on-site evaluations and consultations, recognizing the geopolitical significance of the chosen nations to Japan's security interests. Notably, Indonesia serves as a key deterrent to China's maritime ambitions in the South China Sea, Mongolia's positioning in proximity to China's borders is crucial, and Djibouti hosts Japan's sole overseas Self-Defense Forces base in Africa, signifying their strategic importance to Japan's security landscape. Plans are in place to formalize agreements with the chosen countries early next year, indicating Japan's long-term commitment to supporting these nations' security requirements beyond the fiscal year 2024.