Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi called on Southeast Asian nations to strengthen their joint response to emerging security threats during the ASEAN-Japan Defense Ministers’ Informal Meeting in Cebu on Wednesday, October 28.
Koizumi proposed structural reforms to regional defense frameworks under the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus), suggesting that member states revise priority areas, expand joint expert working groups, and open participation to address modern challenges such as artificial intelligence, unmanned systems, and vulnerable undersea infrastructure.
Warning that the regional security landscape is deteriorating rapidly due to compounding crises, natural disasters, and power shifts, Koizumi stressed the need for collective vigilance.
“These crises do not merely adapt. They overlap and amplify one another,” he stated.
He urged the bloc to protect its core values, noting, “Unity means working together despite differences. Centrality means setting the region’s agenda and drawing external partners around it. Resilience means keeping essential functions and autonomy intact in a crisis.”
Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr., who chaired the meeting, welcomed Japan’s continued engagement. He emphasized that cooperation in maritime security, disaster response, and critical infrastructure protection is vital, particularly as territorial tensions in the East and South China Seas affect broader Indo-Pacific stability.
“In this light, we deeply appreciate Japan’s steadfast support for the unity and centrality of ASEAN. We also value our Japanese colleagues’ sustained and robust engagement with our defense establishments under the ADMM-Plus framework,” Teodoro said.