On October 20, Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) Chief of Navy Rear Admiral Garin Golding met with Japan’s Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and conveyed Wellington’s interest in introducing the upgraded version of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s Mogami-class frigate, known as New FFM, according to Japanese media reports. In response, Nakatani expressed his appreciation, according to Kyodo News.
Golding voiced concern over China’s growing maritime assertiveness and underscored the need for closer cooperation with Japan, the Japanese news agency reported. Nakatani, for his part, described New Zealand as “a highly important partner” and expressed his intention to further deepen defense cooperation.
Australia, which has operated eight ANZAC-class frigates since the 1990s, decided on August 5 to adopt Japan’s improved Mogami-class design as its next-generation frigate to replace its aging fleet.
Australia plans to acquire 11 new general purpose frigates. The first three ships will be built in Japan, with the first to be delivered to the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) in 2029 and enter service in 2030. The remaining eight will be built at Henderson shipyard in Western Australia.
DM Nakatani received a courtesy call from RADM Golding, Chief of Royal NZ Navy, and CDRE Scott, Air Component Commander on Oct 20 and welcomed the progress of defense cooperation such as bilateral exercise. (Japanese MoD picture)
Meanwhile, the Royal New Zealand Navy currently operates two ANZAC-class frigates commissioned also in the 1990s and plans to introduce new frigates to replace them.
Australia and New Zealand, which shares exceptionally close geographical, historical, and strategic ties with each other, has maintained a de facto alliance, underpinned by extensive military cooperation, including regular joint exercises and intelligence-sharing. Thus, in terms of a high level of interoperability between the two navies, it should be quite natural for New Zealand Navy to express its interest in Japan’s upgraded Mogami-class frigate as well.
On June 18, 2024, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon already visited the Yokosuka Base of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force with then Japanese State Minister of Defense Makoto Oniki and inspected the interior of JS Kumano, the second ship of the MOGAMI class frigate, thus showing strong interest.
The leaders of the two countries have agreed that strengthening cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region on a bilateral basis, which share fundamental values, is important for realizing a free and open Indo-Pacific.
For Japan’s government and defense industry, securing even a small number of orders for the new FFM from New Zealand would not only strengthen security and economic cooperation between the two countries, but also help reinforce Japan’s defense industrial base by boosting its record of overseas exports.
AloJapan.com