Japan has started targeting New Zealand as a potential buyer of the Mogami-class frigates, advanced warships that are now on the agenda of the Indo-Pacific defense cooperation.
Quoted from Kyodo News, Tuesday, May 26, the export plan will be discussed at a meeting of the Japanese, New Zealand, and Australian defense ministers at the end of May. The three-party meeting was held on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore.
Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi is scheduled to meet with New Zealand Defense Minister Chris Penk and Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles. This is the first trilateral format for the three countries.
The issue of the Mogami frigate is important because Japan and Australia previously agreed to develop Australia's new generation of frigates based on the design of the Mogami class ships. The project includes 11 ships. The first three ships will be built in Japan, with the first delivery expected in December 2029.
Japan and Australia are now trying to help New Zealand make a choice. In addition to Mogami, Wellington is also considering the British Type 31 frigates.
The Mogami frigate is operated by the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force. The ship has stealth, high-performance radar and sonar features, as well as mine-clearing capabilities. This means that the ship is not only designed for surface patrol and combat, but can also handle sea mine threats.
If New Zealand chooses Mogami, the three countries' defense cooperation will be easier to put together. In military terms, this is called interoperability, that is, the ability of troops from several countries to work together with mutually compatible systems and procedures.
This step comes as the Indo-Pacific region is increasingly crowded by security competition. Kyodo said this move took place amid China's increasingly assertive stance at sea.
Japan, Australia, and New Zealand have strengthened security ties as partners who share similar views in the Indo-Pacific. At the meeting, the three ministers are expected to exchange information on the Japan-Australia project and explore broader defense cooperation.
However, Japanese exports of warships are not a small matter. Tokyo in April revised the guidelines for the transfer of defense equipment. The new rules allow the export of jointly developed defense equipment, including lethal weapons, to countries that have an agreement on the transfer of defense equipment and technology with Japan.
The Japanese government is now considering a defense equipment and technology transfer agreement with New Zealand, after Tokyo relaxed its export rules for defense equipment in April.
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