Koizumi Inspects MSDF Frigate at Yokosuka Base

Yokosuka, Kanagawa Pref., Oct. 25 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s new Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi on Saturday inspected the Kumano frigate at the Maritime Self-Defense Force’s Yokosuka base in Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo. Koizumi, who took office Tuesday under the administration of new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, stressed his eagerness to promote exports of Japanese-made defense equipment. The Kumano is from the Mogami frigate class, which will serve as the basis of a state-of-the-art destroyer that the Australian navy plans to introduce. It features high stealth capabilities and can be operated by about 90 personnel, half the number required for a conventional frigate. “I realized that excellent technologies of our country’s defense industry are used in the Kumano,” Koizumi told reporters, adding that he aims to promote exports of defense equipment through “defense diplomacy.” Earlier on Saturday, Koizumi inspected the Air Defense Command at the Air SDF’s Yokota base in Tokyo. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]