TOKYO, Dec 18 (KUNA) -- Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and his Philippine counterpart Gilberto Teodoro on Thursday shared "grave concerns" over recent incidents involving Chinese military aircraft, Japan's Defense Ministry said.
During their 35-minute video conference, Koizumi and Teodoro reaffirmed the need to further strengthen and develop bilateral cooperation under the increasingly severe security environment surrounding both countries, as they discussed regional security issues, the ministry said in a press release.
Koizumi briefed Teodoro on the radar incident on December 6 in which a Chinese military aircraft aimed its radar intermittently at Japanese Air Self-Defense Force fighters, as well as the Chinese-Russian bombers' joint flight from the East China Sea to the Pacific on December 9.
The two ministers also reiterated their strong opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion in the East China Sea and the South China Sea.
Furthermore, they agreed on strengthening operational collaboration, including the Japan-Philippines Reciprocal Access Agreement for their defense forces, and reaffirmed their commitment to further promote defense equipment and technology cooperation. (end) mk.gta