Thread: Japan To Expand Submarine Fleet To 22 From 16

Japan To Expand Submarine Fleet To 22 From 16
Japan Today, 21 October


TOKYO — The Defense Ministry plans to increase the Maritime Self-Defense Force’s submarines to 22 units from the current 16 as part of Japan’s basic defense program for fiscal 2011 to 2015, which is set to be compiled in December, amid increasing naval activity by China in waters near Japan, ministry and MSDF officials said Wednesday.
The ministry has determined that the MSDF should have a bigger submarine fleet to reinforce its vigilance capacity in nearby waters, especially the East China Sea, the officials said on condition of anonymity before an official decision is made on putting the plan in the appendix of the new defense policy guideline.
Japan has never had a fleet as large as 20 submarines or more since the government adopted its first defense program in 1976.
The current defense policy guideline, adopted by the cabinet in December 2004, notes that ‘‘attention must be paid’’ to developments such as moves by China, a key influence on the region’s security, pushing forward with modernizing its navy and air forces and trying to expand the scope of its naval activities.