Australia's Purchase of Japanese Frigates Signals New Era for Indo-Pacific Security

Japan has been urged to be more active in ensuring the security of regional sea lanes

- Walter Sim

TOKYO - Japan's landmark multi-billion-dollar sale of 11 upgraded Mogami-class destroyers to the Royal Australian Navy marks a pivotal moment for the country's burgeoning arms export industry.

Tokyo clinched the A$10 billion (S$8.4 billion) contract, announced by Canberra on Aug 5, over more seasoned competition from Germany, Spain and South Korea — all major military shipbuilders. Japan will deliver the first vessel in 2029.

This deal is momentous for Japan as it is the country's first export of warships since easing self-imposed postwar restrictions on the transfer of lethal weapons in 2014. It is also only its second overseas defence equipment sale, following the Philippines' acquisition of four air defence radars in a US$103 million (S$132 million) deal in 2020.

The Mogami, built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), is a stealth frigate with both offensive and defensive capabilities. The advanced warship is engineered for a diverse range of missions.

Experts told The Straits Times that this agreement sets the stage for deeper defence ties between Australia and Japan, while offering Tokyo a crucial opportunity to prove itself as a viable defence exporter.

Professor Heng Yee Kuang of the University of Tokyo's Graduate School of Public Policy noted the profound symbolism of the announcement, coming 80 years to the month Japan surrendered in World War II.

"The landmark deal deepens strategic alignment between the two countries and further cements Australia as Japan's leading security partner in the region," he said, underscoring their past as bitter wartime adversaries.

Military expert Jennifer Parker of the Australian National University's National Security College told ST that the decision speaks volumes about the Mogami's advanced capabilities and Japan's commitment to timely delivery within a demanding schedule.