Ishiba inspects MSDF vessels in apparent bid to highlight shipbuilding prowess
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba visited the Maritime Self-Defense Force's Maizuru base in Kyoto Prefecture on Sunday to inspect vessels.
Ishiba also talked with officials of Japan Marine United, which builds Self-Defense Forces ships, in an apparent move to highlight his country's technological capabilities in the shipbuilding sector. Tokyo has offered cooperation in shipbuilding as a bargaining chip in its tariff negotiations with the United States.
"The United States is interested in whether U.S. warships can be repaired in Japan," Ishiba said, showing a readiness to provide such assistance as part of proposed bilateral cooperation in the area of shipbuilding.
"Japan has an advantage in icebreaker technologies," he stated, adding that this expertise, as well as the issue of Arctic shipping routes, will become increasingly important.
On Sunday, Ishiba boarded the sophisticated Mogami-class frigate Agano and the Hyuga, a helicopter carrier, to inspect the ships for about two hours.
After that, he gave a speech to MSDF members.
"The current size of the SDF personnel is only 90% of the prescribed level. This is an extremely serious problem," he said.
"How to secure enough crew members for MSDF ships is also a problem," he added, expressing his eagerness to improve the treatment of SDF personnel.
Ishiba also had a dialogue session with members at the MSDF Maizuru District Headquarters.
Japan Marine United is building an Aegis system-equipped ship for missile defense and the country's first Arctic research vessel with ice-breaking capability.
After visiting the company's Maizuru shipyard, Ishiba moved to Komatsu, Ishikawa Prefecture, for talks with officials of construction machinery maker Komatsu.
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