US allies in Asia are looking to build middle-power coalitions

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OpinionRichard HeydarianUS allies in Asia are looking to build middle-power coalitions

Faced with the US’ unreliability and China’s ascent, countries such as the Philippines are creating new networks of partnerships

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Richard HeydarianRichard Javad Heydarian is an Asia-based academic, currently a Professorial Chairholder in Geopolitics at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. Published: 5:30am, 7 May 2026“In an increasingly severe security environment, no single country can now protect its own peace and security alone,” declared Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi last month, signalling a major shift in Tokyo’s defence posture.

“Under the new system, we will strategically promote equipment transfers while making even more rigorous and cautious judgments on whether transfers are permissible,” she added, confirming long-running speculation that Tokyo would relax decades-old restrictions on exports of high-end military equipment.

Thanks to its post-war pacifist constitution, Japan previously limited military equipment exports to non-lethal categories, namely for transport, rescue, surveillance, minesweeping and early warning systems purposes. Though Tokyo will still refrain from sending armaments to nations engaged in conflict, as many as 17 major defence partners can now benefit from Japan’s cutting-edge military technology.

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Takaichi’s cabinet chief, Minoru Kihara, clarified the policy is “intended to safeguard Japan’s security and further contribute to the peace and stability of the region”.

The announcement came a day into the annual Philippine-US Balikatan exercises, in which Japan, for the first time in history, has deployed a massive combat mission composed of 1,400 members of Japan’s Self-Defence Forces.Advertisement

The war games featuring more than 17,000 troops from seven nations saw Tokyo also deploying major platforms such as the Type 88 surface-to-ship missile system, a US-2 amphibious aircraft, C-130H transport aircraft, the JS Ise warship, JS Shimokita landing ship and the destroyer JS Ikazuchi. To solidify relations with Manila, the host of the exercises and this year’s Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) chair, Tokyo announced a state visit by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr.

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