Newsletter No. 1377
News-Analysis
June 8, 2009

 

JAPANESE WARSHIPS ON WEST ASIA TOUR

The following short report appeared today at the website of our partner organization, PanOrient News. Now we offer it here as well.

Japanese Warships Visit Arab Gulf and Red Sea Ports

PanOrient News -- Kitakyushu, Monday, 8 June 2009

Three Japanese warships have been touring ports of the Arab Gulf and the Rea Sea on an extended goodwill tour.

The three ships involved are the JDS Kashima, the JDS Shimayuki, and the JDS Yugiri. They carry a combined crew of around 720 officers and crew, under the command of Rear Admiral Masao Kawamura.

Included among the crew are the MSDF Brass Band and a drum troupe. They can play both popular music and traditional Japanese folk songs.

The squadron set off on its 145-day training voyage on 16 April, and has already visited ports including Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, Muscat, and Jedda. The mission is scheduled to visit fourteen countries, cover approximately 45,000 km, and last until 8 September.

Aside from the purpose of providing training to MSDF officers and crew, the mission appears to be aimed at raising the international profile of the Japanese navy and tightening links with foreign communities.

The training fleet is now sailing from the Red Sea to Turkey.

The first Japanese warship to visit the Mediterranean dates back to 1878 when the Imperial Japanese Navy warship Seiki toured the region, also on a training mission.