According to Kyodo News, Japan is targeting the export of Mogami-class destroyers to New Zealand, a move seen as strengthening security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. This comes as Tokyo and Canberra push forward with three-way defense talks involving New Zealand.
The Mogami-class destroyer is one of the most modern warships of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, designed with stealth capabilities, advanced weaponry, and electronic warfare systems. Exporting such vessels would mark a new step in Japan's arms export policy, still constrained by restrictions post-World War II.
If successful, New Zealand would become the second country after Australia to purchase Mogami-class destroyers, following Canberra's 2024 contract for eight vessels. The trilateral talks are expected to focus on intelligence sharing, joint training, and military-technical cooperation to address common security challenges, including the situation in the South China Sea and North Korea.
