Kuala Lumpur: The Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF), JS Harusame made a port call here as part of its deployment for counter-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden. Commanded by Commander Makoto Ozawa, the vessel departed from Sasebo on June 1 with approximately 200 personnel onboard, including JMSDF sailors and members of the Japan Coast Guard. ‘During this port call, we plan to engage in various exchange activities with the Royal Malaysian Navy,’ said Ozawa in a statement today.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, this marks the fourth visit by JMSDF vessels to Malaysia this year, following their participation in the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA). It is also the first visit to Kuantan by a JMSDF vessel since 2019.

Commander Ozawa stated that the government of Japan is actively promoting a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” to uphold an international order based on the rule of law. In this context, port visits and bilateral exercises with regional partners like Malaysia are seen as vital to furthering this vision. He noted that in 2024, the two nations launched their first bilateral exercise, MALPAN, and have already conducted two exercises.

Additionally, Japan established the Official Security Assistance (OSA) framework in 2023, selecting Malaysia as one of the first four recipient countries. ‘Japan will provide security equipment to Malaysia soon. Furthermore, there has been active exchange through study abroad, study visits, and seminars,’ Ozawa added.