Special Missions of the Maritime Self-Defense Force] Photo Report on “10 Days of Tense Close Contact” in the Indo-Pacific

On May 31, the destroyer Izumo departed from its home port, Yokosuka Air Base. It departed on a long voyage around the Pacific Ocean. She was to embark on a four-month long special mission called the “Indo-Pacific Dispatch” (IPD).

The purpose of this long voyage is to check China’s hegemonic maritime expansion. Although not generally known to the public, the IPD has been conducted annually since 2005.

This year’s IPD was centered on Australia, with several vessels touring Papua New Guinea, Palau, and other countries. The author accompanied the ship from Darwin, Australia, to Manila, Philippines, for about 10 days.

The “Izumo” has a crew of about 450, each of whom is responsible for his or her own job, including the navigation department, which operates the ship; the engine department, which controls engines, electricity, and fresh water; and the flight department, which operates the aircraft.

The Izumo is characterized by its high aircraft operation capability. It can carry up to 14 helicopters. This year, the ship will undergo a major upgrade to be able to carry the F-35B stealth fighter jet, which is capable of short takeoffs and vertical landings. It is in the process of being transformed from a destroyer to an aircraft carrier.

The ship is also expected to carry Ground Self-Defense Force personnel, with the aim of operating the Izumo as a flagship for amphibious warfare. About 15 members of the Amphibious Task Force, the “Japanese version of the Marine Corps,” were on board the IPD this time. The commanding officer, First Lieutenant Yasumoto, said, “We are strengthening cooperation with the Maritime Self-Defense Force.

We are on board to fulfill two purposes: to strengthen cooperation with the Maritime Self-Defense Force and to cultivate seamanship. Most of the crew, including myself, have never been on a long voyage before. I want to know firsthand what life on the ship is like.”

Chief Warrant Officer Narita, the only woman on board the JGSDF, showed her white teeth and said, “There are many female JGSDF officers on the Izumo, and it took me a while to get used to them.

Indeed, among the naval vessels of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, the “Izumo” has about 40 female SDF officers. One of them is First Sgt. Saito, a medic who works in the medical section of the ship. She joined the ship with the intention of becoming a pilot, but when she became ill, she admired the kindness of the female medics who took care of her and became certified as a registered nurse. She told the writer, “Because there are so many female SDF officers in the workplace, I want to be there for their emotional problems and anxieties.