Tokyo (TDI): In a landmark agreement that marks a major shift in Japan’s defense exports, Tokyo has secured a $6.5 billion contract to supply advanced warships to Australia, its most significant overseas arms deal since lifting a postwar military export ban in 2014.
Announced Tuesday, the deal will see Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) build upgraded Mogami-class multi-role frigates for the Royal Australian Navy, with deliveries starting in 2029.
These next-generation warships are engineered for versatility, capable of anti-submarine warfare, surface strike operations, and air defense missions. Designed with cutting-edge automation, each frigate requires only 90 crew members, significantly fewer than those needed for Australia’s current fleet.
Australia plans to deploy the vessels across key maritime routes and its northern waters in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
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“This is a critical investment in our naval strength and our ability to respond to strategic challenges in the region,” said Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles at a media briefing.
For Japan, the deal is a major step toward expanding its defense partnerships beyond the US-Japan alliance, amid regional tensions and its own evolving defense posture.
“This agreement deepens our strategic ties with Australia and strengthens interoperability with both Canberra and Washington,” said Gen Nakatani, Japan’s Minister of Defense, during a press conference in Tokyo.
The contract marks a moment of redemption for Japan, which lost a 2016 bid to supply submarines to Australia, a contract that instead went to France, only for Canberra to cancel it in 2023 under the AUKUS pact in favor of nuclear-powered submarines developed jointly with the US and UK.
Under the new arrangement, three ships will be built by Japan, while the remaining eight will be constructed in Western Australia by Austal, ensuring deep industrial collaboration between the two nations.
MHI noted that the partnership is expected to “boost scientific, technological, and defense capabilities in both countries through shared innovation and workforce development.”
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Key details, including local production, maintenance, and cost structures, remain under discussion. Officials say they hope to finalize the full contract by early next year.
The decision followed a competitive process in which Japan’s Mogami-class frigate outperformed the MEKO A-200 offered by Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems.
The enhanced Mogami-class ships boast a range of 10,000 nautical miles and can deploy long-range missiles, a substantial upgrade from Australia’s current Anzac-class frigates, which max out at 6,000 nautical miles.
Farkhund Yousafzai is an Associate Editor at The Diplomatic Insight. He is a seasoned journalist and analyst with over a decade of experience in the media industry. He has deep expertise in national politics and international relations and regularly contributes as an analyst to national and international media outlets.
