Japan plans to give patrol boats worth $13.6m each to Manila: Report

TOKYO - Japan plans to donate patrol boats costing US$11 million (S$13.6 million) each to the Philippines, ramping up regional efforts to monitor China's maritime activity in disputed waters, a newspaper said Monday.

The Japanese government plans to finance the deal in its fiscal 2013 budget starting in April and hopes to officially sign it early next year, the Nikkei business daily reported.

Japan will then provide the Philippines with the newly built patrol vessels, which will cost more than one billion yen (S$13.6 million) each, the newspaper said, without specifying the number of boats on offer.

Both countries are locked in separate territorial disputes with China.