Japan's Official Security Assistance (OSA) to the Philippines: Legalizing a New Strategic Tool

Key Chapter Title List

1. Establishment Background and Strategic Positioning of OSA
2. The Evolving Role of Japan as a Security Actor
3. Construction of Pacifist Discourse in Official Documents
4. Narratives of Equality, Reciprocity, and Long-term Partnership in Aid Relations
5. OSA as a Tool for Enhancing Regional Maritime Security
6. The Role of the China Factor and Shifts in Power Balance in Justifying OSA
7. The Linkage between OSA and Japan's "Free and Open Indo-Pacific" (FOIP) and Vision for International Order
8. Future Implementation Limits and Strategic Uncertainties
9. Conclusion: OSA as a New Paradigm for Japan's Security Cooperation

Document Introduction

This report provides an in-depth analysis of Japan's Official Security Assistance (OSA) program, formally implemented since 2023, focusing on its case of providing assistance to the Philippines. It explores how the Japanese government constructs the legitimacy of this new security cooperation framework through official discourse and policy documents. Based on Japan's 2022 National Security Strategy, the 2023 OSA Implementation Guidelines, Japan-Philippines joint statements, and related diplomatic documents, the report employs textual analysis to reveal OSA's multiple positions within strategic narratives, partnership shaping, and the regional security agenda.

OSA marks a significant shift in Japan's foreign aid policy: it is the first to explicitly aim at enhancing the military capabilities of recipient countries, distinguishing it from traditional Official Development Assistance (ODA) centered on humanitarian and developmental goals. The report points out that by embedding OSA within the framework of "Proactive Contribution to Peace" and frequently using terms like "peace" and "contribution" in official documents, Japan attempts to balance its traditional identity as a "peace-loving nation" with its increasingly proactive security role. This narrative effort aims to alleviate domestic and international skepticism regarding its policy shift and pave the way for deeper security cooperation.

In the case of Japan-Philippines cooperation, the report identifies four core discursive features: First, emphasizing that assistance is based on equality, reciprocity, and long-term partnership, downplaying the aspect of unilateral giving. Second, positioning OSA as a key tool for enhancing maritime security and upholding a rules-based international order, particularly by providing equipment like coastal radar systems and patrol vessels to improve the Philippines' maritime domain awareness capabilities. Third, implicitly using China's actions in the East China Sea and South China Sea as the backdrop for the deteriorating regional security environment, thereby providing justification for OSA's establishment. Fourth, linking OSA with Japan's "Free and Open Indo-Pacific" (FOIP) vision and the broader concept of a "Free and Open International Order" (FOIO), reflecting its intent to move beyond the traditional U.S.-Japan alliance framework and expand strategic autonomy.

The report also notes the limitations and uncertainties in OSA's implementation. Although the budget has increased to 5 billion yen for 2024 and expanded to more countries, its actual effectiveness remains constrained by budget ceilings, recipient country responses, and regional security dynamics. Against the backdrop of a potentially weakening U.S. commitment to its Asian allies, OSA is also seen as an attempt by Japan to enhance the resilience of the regional security architecture and reduce its security dependence on the United States.

This report provides a rigorous, document-based analysis for understanding the evolution of Japan's security policy and the new dynamics of the intertwining of aid and security in the Indo-Pacific region. It is suitable for reference by defense policy researchers, regional security analysts, and professionals focused on East Asian strategic landscapes.