By Jason Douglas and Junko Fukutome | Graphics by Roque Ruiz for WSJ
TOKYO -- Among the more eye-catching products in Tokyo's new defense shopfront: a sleek and stealthy warship that can hunt submarines, deploy underwater drones and operate with a lean crew.
The Mogami-class frigate, which Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force has been sailing since 2022, is the kind of high-tech weaponry that Japan wants to sell overseas after relaxing decades-old restrictions on lethal arms exports.
Global demand for new arms is booming as countries rebuild their defenses in response to rising threats and decades of underinvestment. The U.S., the world's largest defense exporter, is struggling to supply weapons to allies because of manufacturing bottlenecks and the demands of recent conflicts such as the Iran war.
Manufacturer Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which built the Zero fighter plane in World War II and some of the Imperial Japanese Navy's biggest warships, will by the end of the month have cranked out 10 Mogamis since 2019, a period during which a U.S. program to replace its aging frigates has been beset by design changes, ballooning costs and cancellations.
The pivot to exports marks another step away from the pacifism that Japan adopted following its defeat in World War II. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is spearheading a broader overhaul of Japanese defense policy in response to what officials describe as the most dangerous security environment modern Japan has faced.
China is rapidly building up its navy and is increasingly assertive in pressing its maritime claims with neighbors including Japan, the Philippines and Vietnam.
At the same time, President Trump's efforts to improve relations and win a trade deal with Chinese leader Xi Jinping have stoked anxiety across Asia about the strength of America's commitment to Asia's defense. Trump has scolded allies about not spending enough on their militaries and relying too much on the U.S. for security.
Japan is slowly beefing up its military, known as the Self-Defense Forces, and has spent years fortifying vulnerable islands stretching down to Taiwan. By relaxing restrictions on arms exports, Japan hopes to revitalize its small defense industry and play a bigger role in regional security by equipping countries such as Australia, Indonesia and the Philippines.
The Mogami frigate encapsulates these goals. Frigates are the workhorses of naval defense. Smaller than a destroyer but bigger than a corvette, they perform a range of missions at sea, from escorting bigger ships to mine warfare and hunting submarines.
The U.S.'s effort to build its own next-generation frigate has been troubled. The latest budget request from the Navy puts the cost of the first of the new FF$(X)$ frigates at around $1.4 billion.
The newest version of the Mogami has a price tag of about $710 million, according to Japan's 2025 defense budget. The British Inspiration-class, manufactured by Babcock International, is cheaper at around $330 million. France and Italy build similar-sized but more expensive frigates.
To its fans, the Mogami has a few key advantages. The ship's compact, angular design helps it hide from enemy radar among the waves. A twin gas-turbine and diesel engine system lets it operate far from shore. It is equipped with missiles that can hit targets on land, sea or in the air, torpedoes to take out subs and interceptors to defend itself against attack. It can detect mines -- or lay them. It features a futuristic combat command center with monitors that give the crew a 360-degree view of their surroundings, as well as advanced sonar and bays that can store and deploy drones for underwater combat and reconnaissance.
"Hands down, it's the best in class," said John Bradford, who commanded U.S. Navy destroyers stationed in Japan and now serves as executive director of YCAPS, a nonprofit focused on security issues in Asia.
Perhaps the Mogami's most notable selling point: The use of automation in many systems means it can be operated by a crew of 90, compared with the more typical 100 to 140 personnel needed on similar ships.
"It offers a massive advantage to countries suffering from a shortage of sailors," said Yasuhiro Kawakami, a retired rear admiral in the Maritime Self-Defense Force who led the development of the Mogami and is now senior research fellow at Tokyo's Sasakawa Peace Foundation.
Some analysts say the Mogami's small crew could cause problems if the ship is attacked, since there would be fewer sailors to put out fires and take over the jobs of anyone injured. The U.S. Navy prefers larger crews for just that reason.
Hirohito Ogi, a former Japanese Defense Ministry official who is now a senior research fellow at the Institute for Geoeconomics, a Tokyo think tank, said that while frigates are important, Japan's defense industry should also invest in new technologies such as drones that are reshaping modern warfare.
"It might not be a wise option for Japan to expand surface-combat shipbuilding when you consider the long-term trend of warfare," he said.
Japan has already found one eager buyer for the Mogami in Asia. Australia in April signed a deal to get three of the upgraded frigates that feature a longer range and a 32-cell missile launcher. The first is scheduled for delivery in 2029.
As part of the $6.5 billion deal, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries agreed to build the three vessels in Japan before transferring technology and know-how to Australia, which is planning to build an additional eight Mogami frigates domestically.
Defense analysts say similar agreements could persuade other countries to choose the Mogami to support their own shipbuilding industries. New Zealand and Indonesia have said they are considering the Mogami as they upgrade their navies. Japan has also offered Indonesia and the Philippines older vessels to bolster their defense capabilities.
--Photo of Mogami-class frigate: Issei Kato/Press Pool
Write to Jason Douglas at jason.douglas@wsj.com, Junko Fukutome at junko.fukutome@wsj.com and Roque Ruiz at roque.ruizgonzalez@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
June 20, 2026 23:00 ET (03:00 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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