Japan receives ninth Mogami-class frigate Natori

May 25, 2026, by Fatima Bahtić

Japan has received frigate Natori from local shipbuilder Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), marking the delivery of the ninth vessel in the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s (JMSDF) Mogami-class program.

The delivery ceremony for Natori took place on May 21 at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ Nagasaki Shipyard in Akunoura, Nagasaki City. The 3,900-ton vessel was ordered by Japan’s Ministry of Defense in fiscal year 2022 and forms part of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s next-generation Mogami-class multi-mission frigate fleet.

Natori follows the previously delivered ships: Mogami, Kumano, Noshiro, Mikuma, Yahagi, Agano, Niyodo, and Yubetsu.

MHI hands over eighth Mogami-class frigate to Japan

Vessels
Japan welcomes seventh Mogami-class frigate

Vessels

The frigate measures 133 meters in length, with a beam of 16.3 meters and a depth of 9 meters. It is capable of speeds of approximately 30 knots and is powered by a combined propulsion arrangement consisting of one gas turbine engine and two diesel engines.

Its armament includes a 5-inch/62-caliber naval gun, a SeaRAM close-in weapon system, two surface-to-ship missile launchers, anti-submarine warfare systems, mine warfare capabilities, and a vertical launch system.

Construction of Natori began on July 6, 2023, with the keel-laying and first steel-cutting process. The vessel was launched on June 24, 2024, before completing outfitting and trials ahead of its final delivery in May 2026.

The Mogami-class frigates are designed to provide the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force with enhanced multi-role operational capabilities while supporting reduced crew requirements and improved automation compared to older surface combatants.