From October 16 to 18, 2025, frigate Prairial called at Yokosuka, Japan, as part of preparations for Exercise Annualex. This major annual exercise, jointly organized by the Japanese Self-Defense Forces and the U.S. Navy, welcomes a French ship for the first time.
This stopover marks a further step in the strengthening of military cooperation between Japan and France, with the aim of consolidating common operational capabilities and improving interoperability in the face of the security challenges of the Indo-Pacific.
On the morning of 17 October, a launch conference for this exercise was held on the flagship of the Japanese fleet, the CVH Kaga. This conference brought together all the delegations of all the participating nations (US, JAP, FR, AUS, NZ, CAN), France being represented by the frigate’s staff.
At the same time, courtesy visits and an official dinner strengthened ties between the French and Japanese navies, illustrating once again the mutual commitment to stability in the Asia-Pacific. In the afternoon of the same day, a conference was given by French industrialists on board the frigate, offering them the opportunity to present French military equipment to the Japanese Self-Defense Forces. This technical exchange for export support purposes highlighted the innovations and operational capabilities of French equipment.
This stopover in Yokosuka is therefore part of a dynamic of increasing the power of a strategic partnership, paving the way for even closer Franco-Japanese interoperability in the future.
At the end of the Annualex exercise, for which the frigate embarked two Japanese liaison officers, it will participate in the Enforcement Coordination Cell mission, aimed at enforcing UN resolutions against North Korea. Since its launch, France has participated in this mission at least twice a year, demonstrating its involvement in the United Nations and showing itself to be an active nation in stability in the Indo-Pacific theater.