THE leaders of Japan and the Philippines agreed yesterday to cooperate in promoting regional peace and stability and endorsed Japan’s provision of patrol boats and military training aircraft to bolster Philippine maritime security, without discussing their alliances with the U.S., whose relationship with Manila has quickly become strained.

    Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said he expected Japan to continue playing an important role in maritime security in the region.

    Japan and the Philippines signed agreements including Japan’s provision of two coast guard boats and T-90 military trainer aircraft as part of its contribution to step up Philippine maritime security capability. Japan also agreed to support infrastructure and agricultural promotion projects in the Philippines to help economic development.

    The two leaders did not mention the Japan-U.S. security alliance, or one between the Philippines and Washington. Japan is a staunch U.S. ally and hosts 50,000 American troops, while Duterte, who took office this summer, has repeatedly spoken of distancing his country from Washington, often in crude terms.

    The presence of U.S. troops in five Philippine military camps was established under a security deal signed under Duterte’s predecessor.

    Earlier yesterday, Duterte said that he wants his country to be free of foreign troops, possibly within two years. “I want them out,” he said.

    “I want to be friends to China,” he told an audience of businesspeople in Tokyo. “I do not need the arms. I do not want missiles established in my country. I do not need to have the airports to host the bombers.”

    Since taking office at the end of June, Duterte has reached out to Beijing while criticizing U.S. foreign policy.

    Duterte is on a three-day visit to Japan. He is set to meet Emperor Akihito today.(SD-Agencies)