Japan Maritime Self Defence Force

Able Seaman Isabella Anderson and Lieutenant Craig Grant on board the Japanese Ship Kumano, during a port visit to Melbourne. Story by Sub-Lieutenant Andrew Murphy. Photos by Leading Seaman James McDougall.

Aussies learn the lay of the land at sea

01/05/2026 Posted by Mike Hughes 604 Views 0 Comments Exercise Kakadu, Japan Maritime Self Defence Force

Two Royal Australian Navy (RAN) members have been forging connections at sea on board the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force frigate

Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles and Defense Minister for Japan Koizumi Shinjiro hold a press conference on board JS Kumano after signing the Mogami Memorandum. Story by Sub-Lieutenant Andrew Murphy. Photo by Leading Seaman James McDougall.

News Royal Australian Navy

Contracts for future frigates signed

22/04/202626/04/2026 Posted by Mike Hughes 645 Views 1 Comment Chief of Navy, Japan Maritime Self Defence Force, Minister for Defence

On Saturday April 18, Australia and Japan took a significant step in deepening their strategic defence partnership, by finalising contracts

Warrant Officer Jonathan West talks with a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force sailor on board JS Kumano as the ship transits to the Port of Brisbane. Story by Lieutenant Michael Wilson. Photos: byLeading Seaman Danyellah Hill.

News Royal Australian Navy

First-hand look at Japanese frigate operations

22/04/2026 Posted by Mike Hughes 572 Views 0 Comments Exercise Kakadu, Japan Maritime Self Defence Force

Royal Australian Navy (RAN) personnel recently gained first-hand exposure to Japan’s Mogami-class frigate and a clear view of the advanced

Lieutenant Matthew Jennings conducts anti-submarine warfare exercises with Leading Seaman Lachlan Wyatt aboard HMAS Toowoomba as part of Exercise Nichi Gou Trident. Story by Lieutenant Marcus Middleton. Photo by Leading Seaman Zac Dingle.

News Overseas Royal Australian Navy

Submarine hunters unite

01/04/2026 Posted by Mike Hughes 781 Views 0 Comments Exercise Nichi Gou Trident (NGT), HMAS Toowoomba, Japan Maritime Self Defence Force, Submarine

If you think ‘finding a needle in a haystack’ is the best idiom to describe the impossible, then you’ve never

Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force Captain Ishidera Takahiko receives a personalised cricket bat from Commanding Officer HMAS Sydney, Commander Ben Weller, on arrival in Yokosuka during a regional presence deployment. Story by Lieutenant Hinako Shiraishi. Photos by Leading Seaman David Cox.

Japan News Royal Australian Navy

Port visit firms ties with Japan

20/06/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 2372 Views 0 Comments HMAS Sydney, Japan Maritime Self Defence Force, Regional Presence Deployment

HMAS Sydney arrived in Japan for a short break and maintenance period in Yokosuka at the midpoint of its Indo-Pacific

Commander Information Warfare Force Captain Catherine Gordon observes team 3 with Leading Aircraftman Shumack. Story by Lieutenant Commander Julian Thirkill.

Japan News Royal Australian Navy Science & Technology

Specialists home in on cyber defence

18/10/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 3066 Views 0 Comments Cyber Defence, Exercise Blue Spectrum, Information Warfare, Japan Maritime Self Defence Force, US Navy

Multinational information warfare specialists recently tested real-world threat scenarios during Exercise Blue Spectrum in Ichigaya, Japan. CAPTION: Commander Information Warfare Force

HMAS Sydney’s bridge team waves towards Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force ship JS Sazanami during a formation foxtrot as part of a regional presence deployment. Story by Lieutenant Tahlia Merigan. Photos by Leading Seaman Daniel Goodman.

News Overseas Royal Australian Navy

HMAS Sydney participates in ship-to-ship culture swap

09/10/202412/10/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 3401 Views 0 Comments HMAS Sydney, Japan Maritime Self Defence Force, Regional Presence Deployment, Royal New Zealand Navy, US Navy

Experiencing another country’s ship for a day while in the middle of the ocean isn’t something everyone will get to

Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force's JS Sazanami sails behind Royal New Zealand Navy's HMNZS Aotearoa, centre, while conducting a dual replenishment at sea with HMAS Sydney, left, and USS Howard, right, in the South China Sea. Story by Lieutenant Tahlia Merigan. Photos by LS Daniel Goodman.

News Overseas Royal Australian Navy

Back in Black in the deep blue

04/10/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 2799 Views 1 Comment HMAS Sydney, Japan Maritime Self Defence Force, Philippine Navy, Replenishment at Sea (RAS), Royal New Zealand Navy, US Navy

HMAS Sydney recently formed up with ships from Japan, New Zealand, Philippines and the United States to conduct a maritime

Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force's Rear Admiral Kazushi Yokota, Commander, Escort Flotilla 3, fires the .50 calibre machine gun on board HMAS Warramunga during Exercise Kakadu 24. Story by Lieutenant Marie Davies. Photo by Leading Seaman Iggy Roberts.

News Royal Australian Navy

Aussie frigate welcomes Japanese admiral on board

01/10/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 2276 Views 0 Comments Exercise Kakadu, HMAS Warramunga, Japan Maritime Self Defence Force, Republic of Singapore Navy

Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s Rear Admiral Kazushi Yokota, embarked on anti-submarine warfare destroyer JS Ariake, spent an afternoon aboard HMAS

Navies from Australia, France, Germany, Italy and Japan conduct a formation foxtrot during multinational task group activities. Story by Lieutenant Tahlia Merigan. Photos by Leading Seaman Daniel Goodman.

News Overseas Royal Australian Navy

Navies foxtrot in the Pacific Ocean

11/09/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 3172 Views 0 Comments French Navy, German Navy, HMAS Sydney, Italian Navy, Japan Maritime Self Defence Force, Regional Presence Deployment

HMAS Sydney recently joined a multinational task group to conduct cooperative activities in the Pacific Ocean. CAPTION: Navies from Australia,

Personnel from the Royal Australian Navy, Japan Maritime Self Defence Force inspect hardware components during Exercise Blue Spectrum, at the Fleet Cyber Unit, Sydney. *This image has been digitally altered*. Story by Lieutenant Gordon Carr-Gregg. Photos by Corporal Lisa Sherman.

News Royal Australian Navy

Blue Spectrum bolsters naval cyber defence

12/07/202414/07/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 3650 Views 0 Comments Cyber Forces Group Fleet Cyber Unit, Exercise Blue Spectrum, Japan Maritime Self Defence Force, US Navy

In a pioneering effort to bolster international cyber defence, sailors and officers from Australia, Japan and the United States converged

Commanding Officer of HMAS Choules Commander Arron Convery salutes HMS Tamar after successful Officer Of the Watch manoeuvres. Photo by Able Seaman Lucinda Allanson.

News Overseas Royal Australian Navy

Aussies exercise with UK and Japan off Fiji

09/07/202414/07/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 2930 Views 0 Comments HMAS Choules, Japan Maritime Self Defence Force, Regional Presence Deployment, Royal Navy, Tonga

One of the Royal Australian Navy’s largest ships, HMAS Choules, recently participated in training exercises with warships from the United

HMAS Warramunga fires its 5-inch naval gun during a joint live-firing with USS Halsey while at sea on regional presence deployment. Story by Lieutenant Commander Andrew Herring. Photos by Petty Officer Leo Baumgartner.

News Overseas Royal Australian Navy

Warramunga all fired up on Indian Ocean

23/02/202424/02/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 2591 Views 0 Comments HMAS Warramunga, Japan Maritime Self Defence Force, Regional Presence Deployment, US Navy

Warships of the Royal Australian Navy, United States Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force conducted two days of combined training

HMAS Warramunga conducts a cooperative activity with the United States and Japan during a regional presence deployment. Photo by Petty Officer Leo Baumgartner.

News Overseas Royal Australian Navy

Warramunga conducts transit through South China Sea

09/02/202418/02/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 3392 Views 0 Comments Fleet Base East, HMAS Warramunga, Japan Maritime Self Defence Force, Regional Presence Deployment, US Navy

Royal Australian Navy Anzac-class frigate HMAS Warramunga has conducted a multilateral transit through the South China Sea with ships of

Crews and support personnel at NAF Atsugi base in Japan during Exercise AnnualEx 2023. Behind them are a RAAF P-8A Poseidon, left, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force P-1, centre, Royal Canadian Air Force CP-140 Aurora, mid-ground, and United States Navy P-8 Poseidon, right. Photo: Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. Story by Flight Lieutenant Claire Burnet.

Japan News Royal Australian Air Force

RAAF P-8A Poseidon training in Japan

05/12/202312/12/2023 Posted by Mike Hughes 4187 Views 0 Comments Exercise Annualex, Exercise Nichi Gou Trident (NGT), HMAS Brisbane, HMAS Stalwart, Japan Maritime Self Defence Force, No. 11 Squadron, P-8A Poseidon

A RAAF P-8A Poseidon and 33 personnel from 11 Squadron have conducted two training exercises at Naval Air Facility (NAF)

HMAS Stalwart’s embarked MH-60R helicopter ‘Boomerang’ conducts a vertical replenishment while the ship conducts a replenishment at sea with HMAS Brisbane. Story by Lieutenant Max Logan. Photos by Leading Seaman Daniel Goodman.

News Overseas Royal Australian Navy

Adding fuel to the fleet

30/11/2023 Posted by Mike Hughes 2866 Views 0 Comments HMAS Brisbane, HMAS Stalwart, Japan Maritime Self Defence Force, MH-60R Seahawk, Regional Presence Deployment, Royal Canadian Navy, US Navy

Two Australian warships contributed to the high tempo of a Japan-led maritime exercise in the Philippine Sea. CAPTION: HMAS Stalwart’s embarked

Leading Seaman Ruben Villis marshals personnel from JS Sazanami’s embarked Super Auk helicopter as it prepares to take-off from HMAS Brisbane during a cross-deck in the Philippine Sea as part of Exercise Nichi Gou Trident. Story by Lieutenant Max Logan. Photo by Leading Seaman Daniel Goodman.

News Overseas Royal Australian Air Force Royal Australian Navy

ADF assets join Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force exercise

30/11/202305/12/2023 Posted by Mike Hughes 2841 Views 0 Comments Exercise Nichi Gou Trident (NGT), HMAS Brisbane, HMAS Stalwart, HMAS Toowoomba, Japan Maritime Self Defence Force, P-8A Poseidon, Regional Presence Deployment

Naval and air assets from the ADF recently joined forces with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) for Exercise Nichi

Lieutenant Kento Tago on the bridge of HMAS Choules during Exercise Malabar, NSW. Story by Sub-Lieutenant Tahlia Merigan. Photo by Leading Seaman David Cox.

ADF People

From Japan to the RAN

29/08/2023 Posted by Mike Hughes 2437 Views 0 Comments Exercise Malabar, HMAS Choules, Japan Maritime Self Defence Force

Exercise Malabar provided Royal Australian Navy (RAN) officer Lieutenant Kento Tago an opportunity to re-connect with his Japanese heritage. CAPTION: Lieutenant