Tokyo is betting on compact, highly maneuverable vessels capable of carrying out missions efficiently with fewer crew members.
The first and second ships of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s new patrol vessel class, Sakura and Tachibana, were launched by Japan Marine United (JMU) on Nov. 13, 2025.
On November 13, Japan’s shipbuilder Japan Marine United (JMU) Corporation launched the first two of a planned fleet of 12 offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) in a ceremony at its shipyard in Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo.
It is highly unusual for the JMSDF to launch two vessels simultaneously.
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