The Australian Defense Minister, Richard Marles, who also holds the position of Deputy Prime Minister, will travel to Japan at the beginning of next month to inspect a Mogami-class frigate of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force at the base of Yokosuka, in Kanagawa Prefecture.
This visit comes just weeks after the Australian government’s announcement on the 5th of August, intending to adopt an updated version of the Mogami as a platform for the 11 new frigates destined for the Royal Australian Navy. Canberra’s aim is to sign a formal contract with Tokyo during 2026, with negotiations on costs already underway.
**Mogami Class**
The next-generation Japanese frigates offer advanced technological and operational solutions. The version proposed to Australia can be operated by a crew of about 90 people, that is, half as compared to a traditional destroyer, with significant savings in terms of personnel and management costs.
Another key element is the ability to integrate missile systems compatible with those of the United States, increasing interoperability with the US armed forces, a strategic ally for both nations.
In addition to inspecting the frigate, Marles will participate in the annual “two-plus-two” summit between the Foreign and Defense ministers of Japan and Australia, to be held in Tokyo this year. The meeting will focus on strengthening bilateral cooperation in security matters, with particular attention to the stability of the Indo-Pacific.
The agenda items include increasing Chinese activities in the Taiwan Strait and the East and South China Seas, areas considered to be of high strategic tension.
