A day after the Philippine president said he plans to halt joint maritime patrols with foreign navies, Japan's government was trying to make sense of developments, with one senior official saying Tokyo will persevere with a nuanced approach to ties.
The assertion by Philippine leader Rodrigo Duterte was the latest in a string of comments suggesting that he will rewire his nation's security relationships, despite assertions by other government officials that no fuses have blown.
On Tuesday, Duterte told troops that they will no longer conduct joint patrols with the United States or other countries, citing the risk of triggering conflict in disputed waters. The U.S. initiated such maneuvers this year, before Duterte's election to office.