Japan's female sailors serve on front line of gender equality
Women serving on Japan's biggest warship, the Kaga, are a tight-knit group on the front line of a push to transform the Japanese navy into a mixed-gender fighting force, where men outnumber them more than 10 to one. The Maritime Self Defense Force needs more ...
Japan's biggest warship, the Kaga helicopter carrier, joined naval drills with Britain's HMS Argyll in the Indian Ocean on Wednesday as the frigate headed toward the contested South China Sea and East Asia. Britain, Japan and their close ally the United States have found common ...
In first, Japanese submarine conducts drills in disputed South China Sea
A Maritime Self-Defense Force submarine took part in a drill last week in the disputed South China Sea for the first time, the Defense Ministry says, signaling Tokyo’s intention to keep in check Beijing’s muscle-flexing in the area.
Defense Ministry to equip Aegis ship with SM-6 missile interceptor system
The Defense Ministry plans to equip the Maritime Self-Defense Force's new Aegis-equipped destroyer Maya with the Standard Missile-6, or SM-6, anti-air missile system to shoot down cruise missiles, according to informed sources. The ministry included ¥13.2 billion in its fiscal 2019 budget request to acquire ...
Japan launches next-generation destroyer carrying latest version of the Aegis anti-missile system
A launching ceremony for an 8,200-ton, 169.9-meter warship for the Maritime Self-Defense Force was held Monday at a plant in Yokohama's Isogo Ward as Tokyo keeps steadily bolstering its defense capability against North Korean and Chinese missiles in close cooperation with U.S. military forces. The ...
Over 600 Japanese troops, including the MSDF's version of the U.S. Marines, will join the RIMPAC naval exercises to coordinate a defense of Japan's Nansei islands.
Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said Tuesday that Akita and Yamaguchi prefectures are candidate sites for installations of the Aegis Ashore anti-ballistic missile defense system, naming specific prefectures for the first time. On Monday regional bureaus of the Defense Ministry contacted the two prefectural governments, asking ...
British warship docks in Japan ready to help police North Korean sanctions
A British warship "changed its deployment" and arrived in Japan on Wednesday to participate in efforts to police U.N. sanctions imposed on North Korea over its nuclear and missile programmes. The Royal Navy frigate HMS Sutherland arrived at Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, which hosts the headquarters ...
Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force appoints first woman to command warship squadron
The Maritime Self-Defense Force on Tuesday appointed the first woman to command a warship squadron, including the flagship Izumo helicopter carrier, as it tries to lure more women to make up for a dearth of male recruits in graying Japan. Ryoko Azuma will command four ...
Wreck of salvaged MSDF chopper off Aomori yields two bodies; search for fourth sailor continues
Two bodies have been found in the wreckage of a Maritime Self-Defense Force helicopter that was raised from the seabed after crashing off northeastern Japan in August, the Maritime Self-Defense Force said Friday. The MSDF confirmed the deaths of Lt. Cmdr. Yuki Sato, 36, and ...
Trump may inspect MSDF helicopter carrier Izumo on Japan trip: sources
U.S. President Donald Trump has been invited to inspect the Maritime Self-Defense Force's largest vessel during his visit to Japan early next month, Japanese government sources said Thursday. Trump would be the first U.S. president to visit the helicopter carrier Izumo, which was commissioned in ...
Japan refuels U.S. missile defense ships under new security laws
The Maritime Self-Defense Force refuels U.S. patrol ships, conducting operations enabled by the SDF’s expanded roles under new legislation.
