Japan's fighter jets F15js land at Clark Air Base.

As the two US allies work to strengthen their military ties in the face of tensions in the area, Japan dispatched two fighter jets to the Philippines for the first time as part of a bilateral air force exchange program.

Following the United States and Australia, the Philippines is now Japan's third partner country for fighter jet deployment, with the two F-15Js belonging to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) making their landing at Clark Air Base in Pampanga on Tuesday.

After the exchange, Japanese fighter planes arrived, but they did not engage in any kinetic training or flight demonstrations. They merely flew a "goodwill flight" alongside FA-50 light fighters from the Philippine Air Force (PAF) while being escorted to their destination.

Given the current security difficulties in the region, the PAF stated that "the fighters' goodwill visit will serve as an avenue to leverage bilateral cooperation with JASDF to increase mutually beneficial activities and develop PAF's defense capabilities."

The exchange, which took place from November 27 to December 7, involved 91 members of the PAF and 60 members of the Japan Air Force. On Wednesday, the last day of the program, the JASDF gave a briefing on measures taken to prevent violations of territorial airspace and about cooperative fighter exercise activities.

The two air forces had shared best practices in the preceding days in the following areas: meteorology, base defensive security, medical affairs, civil engineering, aircraft maintenance, communication and electronics, welfare facilities, and battle management.

In the past two years, JASDF and PAF exercises have primarily concentrated on disaster response and humanitarian assistance.

Following their April meeting in Tokyo to increase defense cooperation amid worries about the conditions in the East and South China Seas and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the forces of both nations have been pushing up bilateral engagements in recent months. It was the two US allies' first "2+2" meeting.

The two nations are now negotiating a visiting forces agreement that will facilitate the operation of Japanese military personnel and equipment in the nation, including joint exercises. Similar agreements are maintained by the Philippines with Australia and the US.