The Japan Maritime Self Defense Force Training Squadron is scheduled to conduct a friendly port visit to Klaipėda on August 8 as Lithuania and Japan mark the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations.
Commanded by Rear Admiral Hidetoshi Iwasaki, the training squadron includes three ships and a crew of roughly 750 members of the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF). This will be the first visit of the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force Training Squadron in Lithuania.
While in Lithuania, Japan’s representatives will visit Klaipėda, Kaunas, Vilnius, and Medininkai, meet with representatives of the Ministry of National Defence, Lithuanian Navy, city council of Klaipėda and lay flowers at the memorial for Lithuanian Freedom Defenders at Antakalnis cemetery.
Medics from the crews will visit Klaipėda Seamen’s Hospital. Visits of the crew members to the Naval Flotilla of the Lithuanian Armed Forces and the Lithuanian Maritime Academy are planned to let Japanese sailors familiarise with the training system of Lithuanian seamen and naval officers.
The three Japanese ships, JS Kashima, JS Asagiri and JS Setoyuki moored in Klaipėda will be open to the public on August 9 and 10.
Lithuania is one of 13 countries visited by JMSDF Training Squadron during its around-the-globe training deployment that begun on May 20. The Squadron will moor in Klaipėda on August 8 after transiting the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans on its way from London. The overseas training cruise is an annual deployment conducted to share experience with the counterparts of the visited countries and to enhance bilateral relations.