Japan Explores ‘Possible Transfer’ of Six Used Destroyers to the Philippines
Earlier this week, it was announced that plans for Japan to export used Abukuma-class destroyers to the Philippines have been agreed upon, marking the first time that Japan has exported a Japanese built destroyer class warship. The agreement will see six ships transferred to the Philippine Navy after inspection and modernization.
The ships in question are Abukuma-class destroyers which have been in service with the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force for around 30 years. These ships have displacement of 2000 gross tons, and have a top speed of 27 knots. They are 109 meters in length and have a beam of 44 meters. Should the transfer go through this would be a first for Japan, as while other smaller vessels have been sold by the island nation before, this would be the first time that Japan has exported a domestically built destroyer.
Under current guidelines, Japan limits military exports to only certain types of equipment, such as surveillance equipment, rescue equipment, minesweeping, and early warning systems. However, there is an exception for projects that are jointly developed with other nations. Under these rules, the transfer can be allowed by modifying the specifications of the ships with new onboard equipment, electronics and communications that are jointly developed with the Philippines. This concept leaves the door open for the export of newly built destroyers, such as with other proposals with Australia.
This proposal is the result of talks in June during the 2025 Shangri La summit where leaders from around the world came to discuss the security of the Indo Pacific. Japan and the Philippines describe this as an effort to improve interoperability and improve joint response capabilities. A Philippine Navy spokesperson was quoted saying; “this initiative reflects the deepening strategic partnership between the Philippines and Japan and reinforces the shared commitment to maritime security, interoperability, and regional peace and stability.”
For the Philippines, the acquisition of six destroyers represents a bolstering of Naval capability, as the Philippine Navy’s offensive surface fleet only consists of frigates and corvettes. The Philippine Navy will conduct an inspection of one of the ships later this summer to determine if it is able to be turned over from Japan. The Abukuma-class has a crew of 120 people, and is equipped with anti-ship and anti-submarine missiles.
(Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force)
A statement from a Philippine Navy spokesperson explained what the next steps are following the inspection. “A delegation of naval experts from the Philippine Navy will be dispatched to conduct an in-depth assessment of the ships. The outcome of this inspection will guide further deliberations on the potential acquisition and its alignment with the Philippine Navy’s modernization efforts.”
The transfer of the warships is motivated by a mutual desire for a stronger relationship between Japan and the Philippines, and is the latest among several initiatives for cooperation between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Japanese Self Defense Force. Other such initiatives seen this past summer include a recent logistics deal for the sharing of fuel, food and ammunition that was concluded in April.