Balikatan 2026: US, Japan, Philippines flex military muscle amid China tensions

AI Summary

Joint military exercises named Balikatan involved forces from the US, Japan, and the Philippines, demonstrating military capabilities amid rising tensions with China. A series of missile launches marked the conclusion of the event.

It took less than six minutes for Japan’s Type 88 missile to find its mark, a decommissioned Philippine warship 75km (47 miles) off the coast of Ilocos Norte. The US-made Tomahawk took rather longer to hit its target, some 630km (390 miles) away. It was, analysts say, a pointed display of resolve: Japanese, American and Filipino troops bringing this year’s Balikatan joint exercises to a thunderous close with a volley of missiles fired from sites in the far northern Philippines. The Tomahawk...