Exporting Frigates to Australia

The Government of Australia announced that its Navy would introduce new frigate of Japan. The upgraded Mogami-class frigate made by Mitsubishi Heavy Industry (MHI) will be in operation in 2030. Although Japan had strictly regulated exporting weapons to overseas, the policy was changed by Shinzo Abe administration in 2018. Export of a warship to Australia may accelerate Japan to be involved in international conflicts.

Considering maritime advance of China, Australia is promoting renewal of frigates for its Navy, and Mogami-class of MHI and MEKO A-200 of Germany became the last two candidates at the time of last November. After final selection process, the government of Australia decided to appropriate 10 billion Australian dollar for eleven Mogami-class frigates. Japan and Australia will coordinate for developing the vessels.

 

Australia needs to update its fleet to deal with security challenges in the Pacific Ocean, focusing on China’s advance in South China Sea and other sea area. The government recognized MHI’s Mogami-class frigate as appropriate equipment in terms of capability and strategic needs. “The upgraded Mogami-class frigate boasts a range of up to 10,000 nautical miles, a 32 Cell Vertical Launch System, and is fitted with surface-to-air missiles and anti-ship missiles,” says a statement on August 5th.

 

For Japan, it marked the second case of exporting finished defense equipment, since it significantly changed its policy of military exports in 2018. The first one was exporting air-defense radar to Philippines in 2020. “It proves high credibility on Japan’s technology and on interoperability between Australian force and Japan’s Self-defense Force, raising our strategic partnership with Australia, which is a special strategic partner, to another highness,” said Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshimasa Hayashi.

 

Japan had been keeping strict policy against exporting military equipment. Eisaku Sato administration introduced Three Principles on Arms Exports in 1967, which prohibited exporting to a communist country, to a country on which the United Nations had embargo policy, or to a country that was directly involved in an international conflict. Prime Minister Takeo Miki extended the principles to refrain from exporting “weapon” to any country in 1976.

 

It was Abe administration that changed the course. It renamed the principles into “Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology.” Based on National Security Strategy 2017, the new principles paved the way for “defense equipment” to be transferred for contributing to international cooperation or being appropriately controlled, while transferring to a country in international conflict is still ruled out.

 

Facing continuous advance of China in East China Sea, including the area around Senkaku Islands, there is not much opposition to Ishiba administration’s decision to export Mogami-class frigates to Australia. However, the vessels are internationally categorized as warships. There is no outstanding discussion whether the export may violate the Constitution of Japan, which renounces threat of force as means of settling international disputes.

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