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Japan’s new defence minister, Shinjiro Koizumi, is expected to visit Australia later this month to formally sign off on the multibillion-dollar contract between the two nations on the upgraded Mogami Class contract for the Royal Australian Navy.
Japanese media is reporting that Shinjiro Koizumi, the new Japanese defence minister, is preparing to visit his Australian counterpart, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles, later in March to formally sign the contract to begin the necessary transfers for the future Mogami Class to form the core of the Royal Australian Navy’s Tier 2 surface combatant fleet.
Formally announced in early August 2025, this AU$10 billion (around 1.1 trillion yen) contract between key American regional allies is a major milestone for greater collaboration between the two nations, with the Mogami contract marking the first major and largest ever export contract for Japanese defence industry.
At the time of the announcement, this decision comes ahead of schedule, signalling the government’s commitment to transforming the Australian Defence Force into a more integrated, responsive and combat-ready force.
Deputy Prime Minister Marles said during the announcement, “The upgraded Mogami Class frigate will help secure our maritime trade routes and our northern approaches as part of a larger and more lethal naval surface combatant fleet. The Albanese government is delivering these commitments at pace, as part of our sustained commitment to continuous naval shipbuilding in the West – driving jobs, investment and infrastructure for decades to come.”
As it stands, the initial three of Australia’s projected 11 ships will be built in Japan, with the Japanese variants being built by leading Japanese defence shipbuilders Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Mitsui E&S Shipbuilding, with the remainder to be built at the newly consolidated Henderson Precinct in Western Australia with delivery of the lead vessel expected in 2029.
Each frigate incorporates stealth-focused hull shaping to reduce its radar cross-section, alongside advanced sensors and a highly automated combat management system that allows the ship to operate effectively with a comparatively small crew. The ships are designed to undertake a broad range of missions, including anti-submarine warfare, surface combat operations, mine countermeasures and humanitarian assistance or disaster relief tasks.
In terms of firepower, the Mogami Class is equipped with a 127mm naval gun as its primary armament and a vertical launch system featuring 32 cells capable of deploying a range of anti-air and strike missiles. The frigates are also fitted with anti-ship missile systems and other defensive capabilities to counter aerial and surface threats.
A defining feature of the class is its large multipurpose mission bay, designed to support modular payloads and deployable unmanned systems. This configuration allows the ships to conduct specialised missions, including mine warfare, reconnaissance and remote operations while reducing the risk to crew operating in contested environments.
Japan is now developing an upgraded variant of the design, commonly referred to as the FFM Batch II frigate with this “Upgraded Mogami” to serve as the basis for Australia’s own fleet. The evolved model incorporates lessons learned from the first ships in service and introduces improvements, including expanded vertical launch capacity, refined systems integration and enhanced endurance.
However, this deal isn’t without it’s challenges, largely given Japan’s strict, pacifist post-Second World War constitution imposing strict controls around the export of lethal defence equipment, such as escort vessels. However, revisions to the policy’s operational guidelines now allow joint development and production with partner nations.
The Japanese government, especially under new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has also moved to abolish the longstanding rule limiting defence exports to five categories considered non-combat in nature, paving the way for expanded defence industrial cooperation with trusted partners.
Japanese officials said the shift reflects the increasingly challenging security environment surrounding the country and aims to strengthen deterrence through deeper defence collaboration with allies and like-minded nations.
Stephen Kuper
Steve has an extensive career across government, defence industry and advocacy, having previously worked for cabinet ministers at both Federal and State levels.
