ANKARA

The Philippines on Sunday confirmed that Japan will transfer several of its used naval ships to Manila amid efforts to strengthen deterrence and response capabilities, according to the state-run Philippine News Agency.

The Philippine Navy (PN) in a statement said that they are now undertaking steps for a Joint Visual Inspection (JVI) of the ships following the official invitation from Japan's Ministry of Defense.

Earlier, the Tokyo-based newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun reported that Manila and Tokyo have reached an agreement to export used Abukuma-class destroyer escorts.

The move is intended to enhance interoperability with the Philippine military and bolster joint deterrence and response capabilities in the face of growing tensions with China, the report stated.

The Abukuma-class vessels were originally commissioned between 1989 and 1993.

However, the Philippine Navy said that a delegation of naval experts from the PN will be dispatched to conduct an in-depth assessment of the ships.

"This planned inspection forms part of exploratory discussions on the possible transfer of these naval assets to the Philippines. Designed for anti-submarine and anti-ship warfare, the Abukuma-class destroyer escorts are known for their reliability and versatility, which align with the PN’s operational requirements in protecting the country’s maritime domains," it said.