A Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer is docked in New York to participate in the annual Fleet Week, in which military ships, including those from the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, sail into the city.
The Shirane made port at Brooklyn as the weeklong event kicked off Wednesday. This year marks the 200th anniversary of the start of the War of 1812 between Britain and the United States.
Warships, tall ships and other types of vessels from 11 countries, including Indonesia, Britain, Spain and Finland, as well as Japan, are visiting for the festival.
Due to strong currents stemming from heavy rainfall the day before, the 5,200-ton Shirane lowered its anchor near the Statue of Liberty for a while before arriving at a pier in Brooklyn about three hours behind schedule.
The Shirane will be open to the public Saturday and Sunday.
"We are very honored to be able to participate in an event like this," said Capt. Osamu Takeuchi, whose vessel has a crew of about 280.
"We are also grateful for the especially big assistance from the United States, such as the U.S. armed forces' Operation Tomodachi," he said, referring to major relief efforts by the U.S. military following the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami.