Japan plans to send one escort ship, one patrol aircraft and 270 sailors from the Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) to the northern part of the Arabian Sea to protect international merchant vessels, the Nikkei business daily said yesterday.

Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Mike Gilday joined First Sea Lord, United Kingdom Royal Navy Adm. Tony Radakin and Chief of Staff of the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force Adm. Hiroshi Yamamura for a trilateral maritime discussion onboard HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08) anchored outside Annapolis, Nov. 20.

In a move to flex muscles against regional threats, the Japanese Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) are conducting an isolated island recovery exercice from November 14 to 21, 2019.

Japan's shipbuilder Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) launched the 12th and final Soryu-class diesel-electric attack submarine (SSK) for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). JS Tōryū (とうりゅう) SS-512 is the second submarine of the class to feature Li-Ion batteries.

At PACIFIC 2019, the international maritime exposition which opened its doors in Sydney, Australia, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of Japan unveiled two news ship designs based on their FMF frigate: Two OPV and a DDG designs.

The U.S. State Department approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Japan of up to 73 Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block IIA missiles for an estimated cost of $3.295 billion.

U.S. Marine Corps' F-35B STOVL fighters will be the first fixed wing aircraft to fly from Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) Izumo-class "helicopter destroyers", following the conversion of both JS Izumo and JS Kaga into aircraft carriers.

Japan's Ministry of Defense (MoD) has officially announced the selection of the F-35B fighter as its future short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft. Lockheed Martin was the sole bidder.