MANILA, Philippines – Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani visited two key Philippine Air Force (PAF) installations—Basa Air Base in Floridablanca, Pampanga, and Wallace Air Station in San Fernando City, La Union—on Friday, February 23, as part of ongoing defense cooperation between Japan and the Philippines.
Nakatani and his delegation were welcomed by Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Vice Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Jimmy Larida, and PAF Commanding General Lieutenant General Arthur Cordura, along with other top defense officials.
At Basa Air Base, the Japanese delegation toured critical facilities, including training centers, aircraft hangars, and flight simulators. Officials also provided a briefing on the PAF’s air defense capabilities and its role in securing Philippine airspace.
The visit to Wallace Air Station focused on the Air Surveillance Radar System (ASRS) Acquisition Project, a joint initiative between the PAF and Japan aimed at strengthening air defense. Under the project, the PAF received a fixed radar in December 2023, a mobile radar in March 2024, and another fixed radar in January 2024. The final technical inspection for the latest radar is set for May 2025, while an additional fixed radar is expected by the fourth quarter of this year.
The visit reaffirmed commitments to defense cooperation, as the PAF continues efforts to modernize and bolster territorial security in the Indo-Pacific region.