Japanese Navy Warships Arrive at Kochi, India

Two warships of Japanese Navy – the Japan Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) – Japanese Defence Ship (JDS) Samidare and JDS Umigiri, berthed at Kochi on 07 Jul 11, enroute to their anti piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden.

The Destroyers, with Captain Hideyuki Ooban, Commander Escort Division Four embarked, were received at the harbor by INS Kabra. His Excellency Mr Akitaka Saiki, Ambassador of Japan in India arrived in Kochi for the occasion and was at the Jetty to receive the warships. The Southern Naval Command band was also in attendance at the formal reception accorded to the visiting ships on berthing at the Jetty.

The itinerary for the visiting ships at Kochi included mutual visits and other exchanges. His Excellency Mr Akitaka Saiki accompanied by the Defense Attaché of Japan met Vice Admiral KN Sushil, Flag Officer Commanding in Chief, at the headquarters Southern Naval Command. The Ambassador also visited some of the naval training facilities here. Later in a briefing for the visiting delegation, the two sides exchanged information and experience on anti piracy operations. Like Indian Navy which has been carrying out anti piracy patrols in that region since October 2008, JMSDF has been contributing to the international anti piracy efforts in the Gulf of Aden for more than two years.
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Source: indiannavy, July 8, 2011