TOKYO, Aug. 15 — Japan’s Ministry of Defense on Saturday announced a series of concrete steps to advance the export of its Mogami-class frigates, building on the consensus reached at the inaugural trilateral defense ministers’ meeting among Japan, Australia, and New Zealand in May. The disclosure coincides with Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi’s scheduled tour of Australia and India from August 17 to 21 to deepen regional weapons cooperation.
According to ministry briefings, Koizumi’s five-day trip will focus heavily on defense industrial integration. In Australia, he is set to meet with Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles to confirm progress on Australia’s planned acquisition of an upgraded variant of the Mogami-class frigate.
Canberra signed an agreement with Tokyo in April to procure the enhanced frigates for the Royal Australian Navy. The first three vessels will be built in Japan, with the remaining units constructed in Australian shipyards using Japanese technology and engineering support. Valued at approximately $6.4 billion and scheduled for completion within a decade, the project marks Japan’s first major export of a complete naval combat platform since the relaxation of its arms export restrictions.
Regarding New Zealand, Japan is actively promoting the same frigate type as a potential replacement for Wellington’s aging Anzac-class fleet. The upgraded Mogami was discussed as a primary candidate during the May 30 trilateral meeting in Singapore. Koizumi is expected to hold bilateral talks with New Zealand Defence Minister Chris Penk on the sidelines of his Australia visit. New Zealand’s Ministry of Defence has indicated a final procurement decision is expected by the end of 2027.
During the India leg of his tour, Koizumi plans to visit a local naval base and hold talks with Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The two sides are expected to discuss defense equipment cooperation, including the early export of Japan’s “Unicorn” integrated stealth mast and shipboard communications antenna system. Additionally, Tokyo and New Delhi may exchange views on the joint development of unmanned aerial vehicles and coordinate the timing of a “2+2” foreign and defense ministerial meeting later this year. Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force F-2 fighter jets are also expected to be deployed to India for joint training for the first time.
These initiatives follow the Japanese government’s April revision of the “Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology,” which lifted remaining restrictions on the export of finished lethal weapons, clearing the legal path for the overseas transfer of frontline combat vessels.
Analysts view Japan’s moves as a broader strategic effort to build an Indo-Pacific defense industrial network centered on common equipment standards. However, the developments have drawn international scrutiny. Some observers warn that leveraging relaxed arms export rules to construct an exclusive security framework could exacerbate bloc rivalry in the Asia-Pacific. Meanwhile, South Korea’s defense sector is closely monitoring how Japan’s large-scale frigate exports might reshape competition in the global naval shipbuilding market.