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Japan commissions its second Taigei-class submarine

23rd March 2023 - 21:53 GMT | by Gordon Arthur in Christchurch

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Japan commissioned its second Taigei-class submarine, JS Hakugei, on 20 March. (Photo: JMSDF)

Japan has inducted its second Taigei-class submarine, amidst plans to boost counterstrike capabilities with new, longer-range missiles.

The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) commissioned its second 3,000t Taigei-class diesel-electric submarine, ‘SS-514’, on 20 March.

The ceremony for JS Hakugei (its name means white sperm whale) took place at the Kobe shipyard of Kawasaki Heavy Industries. This new submarine, launched on 14 October 2021, will be based in Kure.

The first-of-class JS Taigei was commissioned on 9 March 2022. Stationed in Yokosuka, this submarine is being used as a test submarine for future Japanese submarine technologies, as stated in the National Defense Program Guidelines of FY2019.

Given the status of the first-of-class submarine, this means JS Hakugei

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