(Yokohama, Japan)—President Rodrigo Duterte visited the Japan Coast Guard on Thursday (October 27) wherein he was shown firsthand the Japan Coast Guard’s capability in disaster and rescue response.

The Japan Coast Guard showed Duterte a chasing exercise, which demonstrated their capability  in capturing criminals at sea, particularly during hijacking incidents, and their speedy response in rescue operations at sea.

Duterte arrived at around 12:40 pm at the Japanese Coast Guard Headquarters here in Yokohama, where he was ushered to the patrol vessel “Uzi.”

The President was accompanied by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, and Special Assistant to the President Christopher Go.

According to Duterte, he wants the country to have more capability for sea patrols, from rubber boats to frigates for the Philippine Coast Guard.

“Japan is the number one donor in terms of assistance and help, including some of the vessels that we have been shown here, especially the light ones, the rubber boats, it’s for mobility,” Duterte said.

“Iyan ang kailangan ko. Hindi ako masyadong kailangan ng aircraft carrier,” Duterte said, noting that the Philippines is composed of more than 7,000 islands and would need inland patrols.

Duterte said two rubber boats may be posted on Manila Bay, specifically for the Bureau of Customs.

“I think (Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto) Yasay would like to ask to have two agad for the Customs, diyan lang sa Manila Bay area,” he said.

According to Duterte, his first visit to Japan has been very productive. “I’m satisfied with, of course, with the generous offer of Japan,” he said.

The Chief Executive meanwhile said that the Philippines’ war on drugs had been among the range of topics he discussed with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

“We had almost about four hours of talk time and it covered a wide range of issues that would affect both countries,” Duterte said.

“I told him that my visit here is to reaffirm the friendship and cooperation and the solidarity of the Filipino people with the Japanese,” he added, noting that Japan is the number one donor in terms of assistance to the Philippines.PND