Tokyo [Japan], August 14: Japan is considering exporting used destroyers to allies in Southeast Asia, aiming to strengthen security ties with countries along strategic shipping routes.
Kyodo News on June 13 quoted government sources as saying that Japan is studying the feasibility of transferring Abukuma-class warships to the Philippines.
The possibility is being assessed after the export of destroyers was discussed at a meeting between the two countries' defense ministers in June in Singapore.
According to sources, some other names on the list being considered for transfer are Indonesia and Vietnam.
Due to the provisions of the Japanese Constitution, the Tokyo government needs to ensure that specific principles are maintained in the transfer of defense equipment and technology exports, thereby restricting the export of lethal weapons.
However, by 2024, Japan has relaxed the above strict regulations and is moving to allow the export of lethal weapons in cases where they are developed or produced jointly with other countries.
The move is aimed at paving the way for the sale of new-generation fighter jets being developed with Britain and Italy.
If the export project goes ahead, the Japanese government plans to classify the destroyers as "co-production" by adjusting their specifications, but such a move could spark controversy, according to sources familiar with the matter.
According to the Japanese Ministry of Defense, a total of six Abukuma-class destroyers were commissioned between 1989 and 1993. All of them are now scheduled to be decommissioned and replaced with new-generation ships with fewer personnel, in response to the Self-Defense Forces' long-standing shortage of personnel.
In its 2022 Defense Enhancement Program, Tokyo mentioned "early decommissioning of ships that have been in service for many years and face limitations when needing upgrades", and considering exporting them to "like-minded" countries.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper