The air forces of the Philippines and Japan are gearing up for joint exercises in Cebu this week to enhance their interoperability on disaster response. More than 150 airmen from the Philippine Air Force (PAF) and Japan Air Self-Defense Force will take part in the exercise called “Doshin Bayanihan” from Oct.

The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer Sazanami took part in the drill, the ministry said, three days after it became the first SDF ship to sail through the Taiwan Strait, along with vessels from Australia and New Zealand, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The US, Australia, Japan, New Zealand and the Philippines will undertake a joint military activity in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea on Sept. 28.