Photo: RNZ / Mark Papalii
Two Japanese warships have arrived in Wellington for a three-day ceremonial visit.
The ships had been holding a training manoeuvre with Australian and RNZAF P-8 martime aircraft.
The pair were accompanied by HMNZS Canterbury, which was returning from the major, multi-country exercise Talisman Sabre.
The New Zealand Defence Force said the helicopter destroyer JS Ise and destroyer JS Suzunami, with more than 500 crew, were on Indo-Pacific deployment and had sailed to Wellington from Sydney.
The JS Ise and destroyer and JS Suzunami arriving in Wellington Harbour on Friday. Photo: RNZ
"The intent of the deployment is to improve the JMSDF tactical capabilities and to strengthen cooperation and understanding with allied and partner navies in the Indo- Pacific, as well as contribute to the peace and stability of the region," the Defence Force said.
New Zealand and Japan had a strong and long-standing relationship with a shared commitment to global and regional security, it said.
"Both countries have recently been involved in Exercise Talisman Sabre, the multi-domain warfare exercise in Australia, while shortly HMNZS Aotearoa will be sailing to Japan where it will be based while conducting monitoring of United Nations sanctions."
The helicopter destroyer Ise was in fact a small aircraft carrier, nearly 20,000 tons in size.
Two ships from the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force are in Wellington for a ceremonial visit. Photo: Alexandria Nowell / supplied
It normally had four helicopters but was able to operate up to 18.
It's accompanied by a destroyer, Suzunami.
The Japanese maritime self defence force said the visit was to strengthen cooperation and understanding with allied and partner navies in the Indo-Pacific.
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