Japan has taken a major step in reinforcing its maritime security posture with the commissioning of the eighth Mogami-class multi-mission destroyer, JS Yubetsu. Delivered by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Maritime Systems, the vessel was officially handed over to the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) during a ceremony at the Tamano shipyard.
By Jarryd Sinovich
The 3,900-ton stealth frigate is the second of its class to be constructed at the Tamano facility, underlining the shipyard’s growing strategic role in Japan’s naval modernisation drive. Yubetsu joins a formidable fleet that includes Mogami, Kumano, Noshiro, Mikuma, Yahagi, Agano, and Niyodo—the latter commissioned in May 2025.
Designed for versatile combat roles, Yubetsu stretches 133 metres with a beam of 16.3 metres, achieving top speeds of 30 knots. Its hybrid propulsion system—a combined gas turbine and diesel engine setup—gives it operational flexibility across multiple mission profiles.
The ship bristles with advanced weaponry and defence systems: a 5-inch/62-calibre naval gun, SeaRAM close-in weapon system, vertical launch system (VLS), and surface-to-surface missile (SSM) launchers. It is also equipped for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and mine countermeasures (MCM), enhancing Japan’s readiness in increasingly contested regional waters. Construction began in August 2022 and the ship was launched in November 2023. With geopolitical tensions rising across the Indo-Pacific, Yubetsu’s deployment signals Japan’s unwavering commitment to maritime resilience and strategic deterrence.
