Philippines confirms 5 Abukama-class destroyers deal with Japan

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July 8, 2026 | 3:41pm

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines and Japan have reached an agreement for the transfer of five soon-to-be-retired Abukuma-class destroyer escorts from the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, a deal expected to expand the Philippine Navy’s fleet as Manila deepens security ties with Tokyo.

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said Tuesday, July 7, that the transfer deal has been “done," with only administrative details being finalized, as quoted by the Philippine News Agency.

The five vessels are expected to be delivered within two to three years.

If completed as planned, it would mark Japan’s first overseas transfer of retired Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force surface combatants under its increasingly flexible defense equipment transfer framework.

Tokyo and Manila had earlier formed a bilateral working group to discuss the planned transfer after Teodoro met with Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi in May.

Abukuma-class vessels

The Abukuma-class destroyer escorts are a six-ship class commissioned by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force from 1989 to 1993. The vessels were designed primarily for coastal defense and anti-submarine warfare.

Each ship has a standard displacement of around 2,000 tons, an overall length of 109 meters and a top speed of about 27 knots.

The weapons suite includes a 76 mm OTO Melara main gun, a Phalanx close-in weapon system, Harpoon anti-ship missiles, an ASROC anti-submarine rocket launcher and lightweight torpedoes.

Teodoro said the Philippine military would assess the condition of the vessels to determine how they could be integrated into the Navy. He said the defense department was also considering additional berthing and docking facilities for the incoming ships.

The vessels would add to the Navy’s two South Korean-built Jose Rizal-class frigates, BRP Jose Rizal and BRP Antonio Luna, and two Miguel Malvar-class frigates, BRP Miguel Malvar and BRP Diego Silang.

Deeper security ties

The planned transfer comes as the Philippines and Japan expand defense cooperation amid continuing security tensions in the South China Sea and East China Sea, where the two countries have separately raised concerns over China’s actions.

The transfer discussions have unfolded alongside broader security ties between Manila and Tokyo, including the Japan-Philippines Reciprocal Access Agreement, which was signed on July 8, 2024, and entered into force on Sept. 11, 2025.

Japan has also provided the Philippines with defense equipment and support under its Official Security Assistance program, a grant framework that covers equipment, supplies and infrastructure support for partner countries.