In this fortnightly online column, ADM journalist Corey Lee Bell covers defence news across Japan and the Republic of Korea.
Japan praises Mogami bid win
Australia’s decision to commission Mitsubishi Heavy Industry (MHI) to build its next generation Sea3000 General-Purpose Frigate (GPF) has been widely celebrated in Tokyo.
Japanese stakeholders and commentators have emphasised the broader strategic significance of the sale, while cautioning that further efforts will be required to ensure the successful signing of the final contract next year.
Tokyo’s emphasis on “strategic” implications of the Mogami bid
The final stage of bidding for the Australian contract, which saw an upgraded version of MHI’s Mogami-class multi-role frigate come up against variants of Germany’s Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems’(TKMS) MEKO A-200, was notable for the unprecedented level of Japanese government backing for MHI.
This included direct diplomatic representations, and the expedited passing of legislation to facilitate technology transfer to Australia.
Tokyo, notably, has also focused more on the win’s significance for Australia-Japan Defence and defence industry ties than its economic and industry-capacity building merits.
In a press conference in response to the Australian announcement on August 5, Japan’s Minister of Defense Gen Nakatani said that the deal marks “a major step that will take security cooperation with our special strategic partner Australia to new heights.”
He added that the deal “affirms the importance of interoperability between Japan’s Self Defense Force and the Australian military,” explaining “I think the two countries training with and using the same equipment will improve the efficiency and efficacy of joint coordination and operation.”
Nakatani’s predecessor as Defense minister Minoru Kihara, now Chairperson of the ruling LDP party’s Research Commission on Security, also welcomed the deal, noting that it could see “the construction of an Indo-Pacific maintenance and repair hub [for Japanese Mogami-class frigates] in Australia.”
His party released an additional statement welcoming the bid’s success, which stated that Australia and Japan’s “joint development and production [of the Mogami] is extremely significant from the perspective of our national security.”
According to recent statements by the Director of the International Cooperation Division of ATLA’s Department of Equipment, Sayako Sumomo, the link between Japan’s security and technological and industrial cooperation with like-minded regional partners has, in recent years, been increasingly pushed in Tokyo.
Australia has been a significant target of this agenda, with Japan’s 2022 Defence Buildup Program (DBP) paper outlining the objective “to build the closest cooperative relationship [with Australia] second only to Japan-US defence cooperation” in areas including “defence equipment and technological cooperation”
Focus on ongoing negotiations, sealing the contract in 2026
While welcoming the deal, commentators have also pointed to potential pitfalls, while officials have emphasised the need for further diligence to ensure the successful signing of the contract, slated for next year.
Japanese defence journalist Osamu Tekeuchi, for instance, said the process ahead could prove a “thorny road.” He pointed out, in particular, that the installation of US systems on the Japanese platform may require difficult negotiations with Washington, while a “trial and error” process may be needed to overcome inexperience in producing large, armed naval ships for export.
Coordinated messaging from government officials have also sought to curtail premature celebrations by noting that significant additional work will need to be done to conclude and deliver on the deal, which is expected to be officially signed off next year.
Officials have also intimated that the government will remain actively engaged as a key stakeholder in the contract negotiation and implementation processes, as it was in the bidding stage.
In statements repeated by several ministers, Nakatani told reporters “the relevent departments and industries will collaborate through a joint public-private, “all-Japan” [i.e., whole-of-Japan] system to work hard to make the project a success.”