Japanese destroyer docks in Subic Bay Freeport

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — A Japanese destroyer docked at Subic Bay Freeport as part of a goodwill visit by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) on 26 November.

According to the Philippine Navy’s (PN) Philippine Fleet (PF), the destroyer JS Harusame (DD102) arrived at the Naval Operating Base for a four-day visit aimed at strengthening navy-to-navy ties between the PN and JMSDF.

The visit began with arrival honors for JS Harusame, skippered by Commander Makoto Ozawa, at the Naval Operating Base-Subic in Zambales. The visit follows a recent official trip by a PF delegation to Yokosuka, Japan, led by PF Commander Rear Admiral Joe Anthony C. Orbe.

Commander Ozawa, along with Assistant Defense Attaché Commander Kawahata Noriyuki and two other JMSDF officers, paid a courtesy call on PF Commander Orbe.

During the meeting, both navies discussed the PF Commander’s August engagement and his recent Yokosuka visit in preparation for the upcoming PF-JMSDF Staff-to-Staff Talk in the Philippines.

The PF Commander assured the visiting delegates of the Fleet’s readiness to provide any assistance needed, while both sides shared insights from their experiences as ship commanding officers.

As part of the goodwill visit, the PF Commander and staff conducted a shipboard tour of the JMSDF destroyer, familiarizing themselves with the vessel’s equipment and technology, promoting knowledge sharing, and enhancing mutual appreciation of each other’s maritime assets and operational procedures.

The visit will conclude with a send-off ceremony on 29 November, reaffirming the enduring ties between the PN and JMSDF.

This engagement underscores continued efforts to strengthen maritime cooperation, professional expertise and operational interoperability, while reinforcing bilateral trust and the shared goal of a secure and stable maritime environment.