Operationalizing the Emerging
U.S.-Japan-Philippines Triangle

Abstract
On Wednesday, February 14, 2024, Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA (Sasakawa USA) hosted
the in-person policy briefing, “Operationalizing the Emerging U.S.-Japan-Philippines Triangle,”featuring Mr. Brian Harding, senior expert at the U.S. Institute of Peace. Mr. Harding summarized
the key points from his research trip report as part of Sasakawa USA’s U.S.-Japan Research
Exchange program, visiting Japan in December 2023 to meet with Japanese government officials,
civil society, media reporters, and academic researchers, who are experts on Japan-Philippinesrelations. His presentation was followed by a Q&A session with the audience.
Sasakawa USA’s Policy Briefing Series presented this discussion. Attendees included junior andsenior think tank researchers in Washington, D.C., Japanese Self-Defense Force officers, andhigh-level Philippines embassy representatives. Dr. Satohiro Akimoto, chairman and president ofSasakawa USA, provided introductory remarks, facilitated this event, and moderated the Q&Adiscussion.

2Mr. Brian Harding

Key Topic Areas from Mr. Harding’s Report
At this event, Mr. Harding shared his key findings and recommendations on how the U.S., Japan,and the Philippines could forge practical trilateral cooperation and how the triad could contributeto maintaining peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region. A full report on Mr. Harding’s
research trip can be found on Sasakawa USA’s website. Below are some of the key topic areas
discussed at the policy briefing event:
1. Top issue areas for U.S.-Japan-Philippines cooperation are a) building defense security
capacity, with a focus on maritime security, b) countering disinformation and propaganda
disseminated by the adversaries, and c) supporting peace and stability in Mindanao.
2. Although the three countries are bolstering their trilateral cooperation on the presidential
and prime ministerial, foreign ministerial, and NSC advisers’ level, U.S. and Japanese
security officials and experts lack deep ties with Filipino counterparts.
3. To institutionalize trilateral cooperation, there is an urgent need for more engagements at
all levels – track 1, track 1.5, track 2 –, and ad hoc quadrilateral meetings with Australia
should be pursued whenever there is an opportunity.

Q&A Session
A Q&A with the audience followed Mr. Harding’s presentation covering a wide range of topics.
A brief summary is below:
The trilateral cooperation could focus more on economic security matters and explore otherpotential areas of cooperation such as joint technology projects or establishing a trilateral
STEM program.



There have been efforts to strengthen the three countries’ military and coast guardcooperation, yet the three countries lack bottom up and grassroot efforts to further bolster
the trilateral cooperation outside of military-to-military areas.

There are several factors that could positively or negatively impact the future of thetrilateral cooperation including the current political tension in the Philippines, the outcomeof the 2024 U.S. presidential election, underdeveloped U.S.-Philippines economic
cooperation, and the commitment and deterrence of U.S. and Japan against China’s malignactivities towards Taiwan.

Operationalizing the Emerging U.S.-Japan-Philippines Triangle

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Sasakawa USA is grateful to Mr. Harding for producing a comprehensive research report following his trip toJapan via Sasakawa USA’s U.S.-Japan Research Exchange program and further sharing his key findings fromhis research trip with our Washington, D.C. audience. Sasakawa USA also thanks the Q&A participants andattendees for joining us in this engaging discussion.
The summarized views of the speakers expressed herein are entirely the work of Sasakawa USA and do not
represent the official positions of any of the speakers.
For more information about Sasakawa USA’s Policy Briefing Series, click here.