Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, Jr., along with defense and military officials, accompanied Japan's Defense Minister Nakatani Gen on his visit to key military bases in Luzon on Sunday.

Nakatani was given a briefing on and guided tour of the operational capabilities and ongoing defense initiatives at Basa Airbase.

Following the visit at Basa Air Base, the top officials proceeded to Wallace Air Station. The visit also included a tour of the Air Defense Simulation and Wargaming Center, which plays a key role in military training and strategic planning, and the mobile radar installations, which are vital for monitoring and securing Philippine airspace.

With the recent Philippine Senate concurrence on the Reciprocral Access Agreement (RAA) between the two countries, both officials discussed and explored ways in advancing strategic defense partnership, particularly on maritime and air defense, capacity building activities, and regional security initiatives. Department of National Defense