The Philippine Navy is reportedly considering the acquisition of only three out of the six Abukuma-class destroyers offered by Japan, according to the service’s chief, Vice Admiral Jose Maria Ambrosio Ezpeleta, during a Senate Finance Committee hearing. The matter was raised by Senator José Víctor Gómez Ejercito in the context of discussions over the proposed defense budget for the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
“We have inspected them and submitted our recommendation,” Ezpeleta stated in response to Gómez Ejercito’s questions. The naval chief explained that the vessels have been in service for more than three decades and are scheduled for decommissioning in 2027. He added that “there is no guarantee” that Tokyo will approve the transfer of the destroyers, given Japan’s constitutional restrictions on the export of lethal weapons, except in specific cases.
Ezpeleta also acknowledged that, while an initial proposal involved six ships, Manila now aims to receive only three. “The six may not be available to us, but if they are, we would like to get three,” he clarified. Senator Gómez Ejercito remarked: “I mean, beggars can’t be choosers; those are six destroyers.”
Reports suggest that Vietnam and Indonesia are also among the potential recipients of these vessels. The Abukuma-class destroyers were designed for anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare missions and share certain similarities with the Jose Rizal-class frigates currently in Philippine Navy service. The class displaces around 2,000 tons standard and measures 109 meters in length.
In July, Ezpeleta had indicated that talks with Japan were still “in the early stages,” and that the agreement could also include TC-90 aircraft for maritime surveillance operations. “We are still in the early stages of discussions on the transfer of the Abukuma (ships) and the TC-90s. They are still in service with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), so we have not yet determined the final number of units or the timeline for a possible transfer (…) We need more floating assets. This will be a good complement to our patrol and territorial defense capability,” he stated.
Japanese media reported that the defense ministers of both countries —Gen Nakatani for Japan and Gilberto Teodoro for the Philippines— held meetings in Singapore to discuss the potential transfer, which would include a technical inspection by Philippine personnel. According to Ezpeleta, “We expect Japan to present a formal offer soon. Once that happens, we will conduct a joint visual inspection and technical assessment of the JMSDF vessels. The earliest we could receive them would be in 2027.”
The potential transfer aligns with the strengthening of strategic ties between Tokyo and Manila, which recently signed a Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) to facilitate the movement of personnel and equipment in each other’s territories. The bilateral rapprochement comes amid rising tensions in the South China Sea and the West Philippine Sea, where both countries face maritime disputes with Beijing.
In parallel, open-source intelligence (OSINT) reports from August indicated that Japan is also considering transferring Asagiri-class destroyers to Southeast Asian nations —including the Philippines— as part of a broader policy of expanded military cooperation in the region. These units, built in the late 1980s, are being progressively retired from active service by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.
Images for illustrative purposes only.
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