TOKYO — Japan's defense ministry is considering exports of surface-to-ship missiles to the Philippines, Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported on Friday, as Tokyo adopts a more assertive regional security role amid concern about China.
Japan last month unveiled its biggest overhaul of defense export rules in decades, scrapping restrictions on overseas arms sales and opening the way for exports of warships, missiles and other weapons.
Beijing has expressed its displeasure about Tokyo's new efforts in defense, with bilateral relations at a particularly low ebb since Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said in November that a Chinese attack on Taiwan threatening Japan's survival could trigger a military response.
A day earlier, Chinese President Xi Jinping also warned US President Donald Trump at a closely watched summit that mishandling the countries' disagreements over Taiwan could push China-US relations to a "dangerous place."
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