1. Regarding the transfer from Japan to Australia of finished products, parts and technical information (hereinafter referred to as “finished products, etc.”) in the event that Japan is to carry out the joint development and production of Australia’s next-generation general-purpose frigate (hereinafter referred to as “this overseas transfer”), in accordance with the “Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology” (Cabinet decision of April 1, 2014, partially revised on December 22, 2023) and the “Operational Guidelines for the Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology” (National Security Council decision of April 1, 2014, partially revised on March 26, 2024), the National Security Council has deliberated and confirmed that this is a case in which the overseas transfer can be approved.
2. Regarding Australia’s next-generation general-purpose frigate program, in February 2024, the Australian government announced that it would select the next-generation general-purpose frigate from several candidate vessels, including the Mogami-class destroyer, and published procurement plans, including construction in Australia. Since this announcement, Japan has provided the necessary information at the request of the Australian government, and in November 2024, the Australian government evaluated the vessels based on the information provided and narrowed them down to two candidate vessels, selecting the FY2024 destroyer (4,800 ton type), an improved version of the Mogami-class destroyer, as one of them.
Going forward, the Australian Government is expected to decide which ships to procure under the Next General Purpose Frigate Program after holding discussions with the countries proposing candidate ships, including Japan. If Japan is selected, Japan will work with Australia to jointly develop and produce Australia’s next general-purpose frigate (hereinafter referred to as “this joint development and production”), and the completed products will be transferred to Australia.
3. As stated in the National Defense Strategy, Japan is building a close cooperative relationship with Australia as a “special strategic partner” in the Indo-Pacific region, second only to Japan-U.S. defense cooperation. Based on this policy, this joint development and production project will contribute to significantly improving interoperability and compatibility with Australia, strengthen the foundation for shipbuilding and maintenance in the Indo-Pacific region, and improve the future capabilities of Japan’s ships, and is of great significance to Japan’s national security.
4. Furthermore, since the destination of this overseas transfer is Australia and the end user is a local construction company designated by the Australian Department of Defence and the Australian Government, there is a high degree of certainty that proper management will be implemented. In addition, as described in 5. below, the finished products to be transferred to Australia are prohibited from being used for purposes other than those intended and the Australian Government is required to obtain prior consent for transfers to third countries, so it is recognized that there will be no problem for Japan’s national security.
5. This overseas transfer will be carried out based on the “Agreement between the Government of Japan and the Government of Australia Regarding the Transfer of Defence Equipment and Technology,” which prohibits use for purposes other than those intended and requires the Australian Government to obtain Japan’s prior consent in the event of a transfer to a third country. This means that it is believed that proper management by the Australian Government of the finished products, etc. after their transfer to Australia will be ensured.
6. Appropriate measures will be taken regarding the approval of this overseas transfer and other necessary procedures under the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act (Act No. 228 of 1949) in light of the results of deliberations at the National Security Council mentioned above.
[Reference] Overview of the FY2024 Type Escort Ship (06FFM)
The 06FFM will be engaged in constant, continuous, multi-layered intelligence-gathering and surveillance activities in the surrounding waters during normal times, as well as international peace cooperation activities overseas. In times of emergency, it can also be utilized for a variety of activities such as anti-submarine warfare, anti-aircraft warfare, and anti-surface warfare. It is a multi-purpose escort ship that has been equipped with long-range missiles and enhanced anti-submarine warfare capabilities compared to the Mogami-class escort ships, which also have anti-mine warfare capabilities that were previously only performed by minesweeping vessels.