The Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) on 28 September deployed JS SAZANAMI to conduct Multilateral Exercise with the Philippine Navy (PN), the United States Navy (USN), the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN), which is part of the Maritime Cooperative Activity (MCA) in the South China Sea. The five countries conducted a series of tactical exercises aimed at enhancing regional maritime security cooperation and advancing the realization of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP).