List of active Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force ships

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List of active ships of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force is a list of ships in active service with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. The JMSDF is one of the world's largest navies and the second largest navy in Asia in terms of fleet tonnage.^[1] As of 2016, the JMSDF operates a total of 155 vessels (including minor auxiliary vessels), including; four helicopter destroyers (or helicopter carriers), 26 destroyers, 10 small destroyers (or frigates), six destroyer escorts (or corvettes), 22 attack submarines, 30 mine countermeasure vessels, six patrol vessels, three landing ship tanks, 8 training vessels and a fleet of various auxiliary ships.^[2][3]

As of 2013, a procurement list added to the current National Defense Program Guidelines (NDPG) has revealed that, among other things, an additional 48 escort vessels of various classes are planned to be added to the MSDF fleet in the coming decade.^[4] In addition, as of 7 July 2013, it was being reported that plans were under way to procure two more Aegis equipped destroyers in order to bolster ongoing BMD efforts, the first to be contracted for in fiscal year 2015 and the other in fiscal year 2016.^[5]

Submarine fleet[]

Submarines[]

The JMSDF plans to increase the number of submarines from the current number to 22 boats.^[6]

Class	Picture	Type	Boats	Displacement	Note
Submarines (21 in Service)
Taigei-class		Attack submarine	JS Taigei	3,000 tonnes (surfaced)	The first submarine of this class, Taigei, will be converted to a test submarine in March 2022. The Taigei class will be operated as an attack submarine from the second boat.[7] Two additional boats not yet launched (October 2020).
Sōryū-class			JS Sōryū JS Unryū JS Hakuryū JS Kenryū JS Zuiryū JS Kokuryū JS Jinryū JS Sekiryū JS Seiryū JS Shōryū JS Ōryū JS Tōryū	2,900 tonnes (surfaced) 4,200 tonnes (submerged)	The JS Ōryū is the world's first submarine powered by lithium-ion batteries.[8]
Oyashio-class			JS Uzushio JS Makishio JS Isoshio JS Narushio JS Kuroshio JS Takashio JS Yaeshio JS Setoshio JS Mochishio	2,750 tonnes (surfaced) 4,000 tonnes (submerged)	2 of 11 built converted to training ships (see Training Vessels below).

Surface fleet[]

Helicopter destroyers - DDH[]

Officially classed as "helicopter destroyers", these vessels have a through-deck helicopter carrier configuration; Izumo-class converting into light carrier configuration to carry F-35B V/STOL fighters from the mid-2020s.^[9][10]

Class	Picture	Type	Ships	Displacement	Note
Helicopter destroyers - DDH (2 in Service)
Izumo-class		Helicopter destroyer	JS Izumo JS Kaga	27,000 tonnes

Class	Picture	Type	Ships	Displacement	Note
Helicopter destroyers - DDH (2 in Service)
Hyūga-class		Helicopter destroyer (or helicopter carrier)	JS Hyūga JS Ise	19,000 tonnes

Landing ships[]

Class	Picture	Type	Ships	Displacement	Note
Landing ships - LST (3 in Service)
Ōsumi-class		Landing ship tank (de facto Amphibious transport dock)	JS Ōsumi JS Shimokita JS Kunisaki	14,000 tonnes	The Japanese MoD is planning to perform a major refit on the Osumi-class to improve their amphibious capabilities.[11]
Landing craft - LCU (9 in Service)
LCU-2001-class		Utility landing craft		540 tonnes
		landing craft mechanized		50 tonnes

Destroyers - DDG/DD[]

The JMSDF uses the official term Destroyers despite some larger ships being analogous to cruisers and smaller vessels being analogues of frigates by most international classifications.^[12]

Class	Picture	Type	Ships	Displacement	Note
Destroyers - DDG/DD (36 in Service)
Maya-class		Guided missile destroyer (Aegis)	JS Maya JS Haguro	10,500 tonnes
Atago-class			JS Atago JS Ashigara	10,000 tonnes
Kongō-class			JS Kongō JS Kirishima JS Myōkō JS Chōkai	9,500 tonnes
Asahi-class		Destroyer	JS Asahi JS Shiranui	6,800 tonnes
Akizuki-class			JS Akizuki JS Teruzuki JS Suzutsuki JS Fuyuzuki	6,800 tonnes
Takanami-class			JS Takanami JS Onami JS Makinami JS Sazanami JS Suzunami	6,400 tonnes
Murasame-class			JS Murasame JS Harusame JS Yūdachi JS Kirisame JS Inazuma JS Samidare JS Ikazuchi JS Akebono JS Ariake	6,200 tonnes
Asagiri-class			JS Asagiri JS Yamagiri JS Yūgiri JS Amagiri JS Hamagiri JS Setogiri JS Sawagiri JS Umigiri	5,200 tonnes

Frigate Multi-Purpose/Mine - FFM[]

Class	Picture	Type	Ships	Displacement	Note
Frigate Multi-Purpose/Mine - FFM (0 in Service)
Mogami-class		Frigate	JS Mogami JS Kumano JS Noshiro	5,500 tonnes	FFM-2 Kumano was launched on November 19, 2020. FFM-1 Mogami was launched on March 3, 2021 following delays. Twenty more ships to this design are planned by 2032.

Destroyer escorts - DE[]

Class	Picture	Type	Ships	Displacement	Note
Destroyer escorts - DE (6 in Service)
Abukuma-class		Destroyer escort (or frigate)	JS Abukuma JS Jintsū JS Ōyodo JS Sendai JS Chikuma JS Tone	2,550 tonnes

Mine countermeasure vessels[]

Class	Picture	Type	Ships	Displacement	Note
Mine countermeasure vessels (22 in Service)
Uraga-class		Minesweeper	JS Uraga JS Bungo	6,850 tonnes	Categorized as "mine-countermeasures support ship".
Awaji-class			JS Awaji JS Hirado JS Etajima	690 tonnes
Enoshima-class				570 tonnes
Hirashima-class				570 tonnes
Sugashima-class				570 tonnes

Patrol vessels[]

Class	Picture	Type	Ships	Displacement	Note
Patrol vessels (6 in Service)
Hayabusa-class		Patrol boat		240 tonnes

Training vessels[]

Class	Picture	Type	Ships	Displacement	Note
Training vessels (8 in Service)
Kashima-class		Cadet training ship	JS Kashima	4,050 tonnes
Shimayuki-class		Training vessel	JS Setoyuki	3,000 tonnes	Reconverted Hatsuyuki-class destroyers.
Hatakaze-class			JS Hatakaze JS Shimakaze	5,900 tonnes	Converted Hatakaze-class guided missile destroyer.
Oyashio-class		Training submarine	JS Oyashio JS Michishio	4,000 tonnes	Reconverted Oyashio-class submarines.
Kurobe-class		Training support ship	JS Kurobe
Tenryū-class			JS Tenryū

Auxiliary fleet[]

Replenishment ships[]

Class	Picture	Type	Ships	Displacement	Note
Replenishment ships (5 in Service)
Mashū-class		Replenishment oiler	JS Mashū JS Ōmi	25,000 tonnes
Towada-class			JS Hamana JS Tokiwa JS Towada	15,000 tonnes

Miscellaneous[]

Class	Picture	Type	Ships	Displacement	Note
Miscellaneous (17 in Service)
Hiuchi-class		Training support ship	JS Hiuchi JS Suo JS Amakusa JS Genkai JS Enshu	1,000 tonnes
		Cable laying ship	JS Muroto
		Submarine rescue vessel	JS Chiyoda	5,600 tonnes (standard)	JMSDF commissions new submarine rescue ship[13]
			JS Chihaya	6,900 tonnes
Futami-class		Oceanographic research ship	JS Wakasa
			JS Nichinan
			JS Shōnan
Hibiki-class		Ocean surveillance ship	JS Hibiki JS Harima JS Aki[14]
		Experiment ship	JS Asuka
		Ice breaker	JS Shirase	20,000 tonnes
		Yacht	JS Hashidate
YDT-01-class		Diving support vessel

Future JMSDF vessels[]

• In 2014, Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera expressed the intention of buying one amphibious assault ship from the United States to provide more amphibious capabilities than the current Osumi class landing ships. The Wasp-class amphibious assault ship is most likely candidate for acquisition.^[15]
• In 2020, Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi announced plans to build 2 new Aegis destroyers to replace scrapped land-based missile interceptors. ^[16]

References[]

External links[]

• Website on the Imperial Japanese Navy: JMSDF vessels

Bibliography[]

• IISS (2010). Military Balance 2010. Routledge, London. ISBN 1857435575.