Rear Admiral Hidetoshi Iwasaki of Japan called for the rule of law in solving the dispute in the South China Sea and assured the Philippines that its maritime security ties with it will continue. The Philippines and other countries have maritime disputes with China in the South China Sea while Japan has its own territorial dispute with China in the East China Sea. Iwasaki said there were 190 newly commissioned officers on board in their four-day training squadron ships sharing knowledge with their Filipino marine counterparts during their stay.

Fabunan, S. S. D. (2016, October 26). Amid sea row, Japan insists on rule of law. Manila Standard, pp. A1, A2.