豪ごう新型しんがたフリゲート艦かん導入どうにゅう計画けいかく日本にっぽんの提案ていあんが最さい優先ゆうせん候補こうほと発表はっぴょう

Australia has announced that it has selected Japans proposal for the introduction of a new type of frigate, which Japan had suggested be jointly developed based on its state-of-the-art escort ship.

If a formal contract is signed, it will become the largest export of defense equipment in Japans history.

The Japanese government has proposed joint development based on the Maritime Self-Defense Forces latest Mogami-class escort ship for the introduction of Australias planned new frigates, and the Australian government has narrowed down the candidates to Japan and Germany from several options and has been proceeding with its review.

Australian Defence Minister Marles held a press conference on the 5th regarding this matter and announced, We have narrowed it down to the Mogami-class vessels, stating that they have selected Japans proposal.

Defense Minister Marles stated, The Mogami-class is the best vessel for Australia, praising its stealth, missile capabilities, and the fact that it can be operated by a small crew.

On top of that, he stated, This decision was made to ensure that the Australian Navy has the highest capabilities, and it is also a very important milestone for the bilateral relationship between Australia and Japan, expressing his view that this will serve as an opportunity to further deepen security relations between Japan and Australia.

Australia plans to invest 10 billion Australian dollars, approximately 950 billion yen, to introduce up to 11 new ships to replace its aging frigates, and if a formal contract is signed, this will become the largest export of defense equipment ever for Japan.

Prime Minister Ishiba: Welcomes the decision Prime Minister Ishiba posted a message on the former Twitter platform X, stating, The Australian government has selected the improved version of our countrys Mogami-class escort ship as the next general-purpose frigate for the Australian Navy.

Welcome the decision of the Australian government.

We will continue to work together as one, both public and private sectors, toward concluding the contract.

This is proof of the trust in our countrys advanced technological capabilities and the importance of interoperability between the Self-Defense Forces and the Australian military. It represents a significant step toward elevating security cooperation with Australia, our special strategic partner, to an even higher level.

On top of that, he stated, We expect the final contract to be signed around the beginning of next year, and we will work together with the relevant ministries and companies, uniting the public and private sectors to move toward the signing.

In addition to efficiency and high capability, I believe the fact that both the public and private sectors are jointly involved in the project has led to its high evaluation, he said.

On top of that, Through joint development and production, it will also contribute to improving the capabilities of our countrys vessels, and it has extremely high significance in terms of national security.

We expect the final agreement to be reached at the beginning of 2026, and we would like to continue accelerating coordination between the public and private sectors.

Expert: “Shared understanding is also influencing the selection.” Michael Shoebridge, who was formerly involved in equipment procurement at the Australian Department of Defence and is now the head of a security-related think tank, analyzes that behind this selection lies not only Australia’s strategic needs, but also a shared understanding between Japan and Australia regarding their security strategies with China in mind.

In this statement, Mr. Shoebridge said that the frigates owned by Australia are not only slow, but also have a small number of missiles and are not sufficiently equipped to respond to attacks by unmanned aircraft, describing them as aged, extremely vulnerable, and unable to cope with current threats.

It is stated that there is a situation where it is necessary to update quickly.

On top of that, regarding Japans proposal, he stated, First, the vessel is extremely capable, and second, it can be procured quickly, expressing the view that both the capabilities of the escort ship and the pace of procurement meet Australias needs.

Furthermore, the fact that Chinas presence is a common security challenge for both Japan and Australia does not change.

This has become a factor in strengthening cooperation between the two countries and is an important element in this decision, he pointed out, indicating that the shared understanding between Japan and Australia regarding security in the Indo-Pacific region, with China in mind, has also influenced the selection.

Australia also pointed out the need to rebuild its domestic defense equipment production base, as well as the issue that the production capacity in its main procurement sources, Western countries, is not keeping up.

He also stated, Most military supplies are provided by the United States, but we will need sources other than the U.S. as well, expressing the view that this could serve as an opportunity to broaden the base of cooperation between Japan and Australia in the defense industry sector in the future.