Japan’s first warship sale opens door to future exports but comes with strings attached
Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Mogami-class frigate JS Kumano (foreground) and vessels from 18 other nations dot Sydney Harbour for the Exercise Kakadu Fleet Review. (Photo: Australian Department of Defence)
Australia’s selection of an upgraded Mogami-class frigate marks Japan’s first-ever export of a major surface combatant. With an ambitious 2029 delivery target, the deal could open the door to further naval exports – but inexperience and geopolitical friction with China loom large.
Japan has spent decades building warships – exclusively for itself. The contract signed on 18 April between the Australian government and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) for three upgraded Mogami-class frigates changes that entirely.
The deal, formalised during a ceremony in Melbourne attended by Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles and Japanese Minister of Defence Koizumi Shinjiro, represents the first time Tokyo has exported a new-build major surface combatant in the post-war era.
Under the SEA 3000 programme, the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) will receive three frigates constructed at MHI’s Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery
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