Date: August 12, 2024 Update: December 08, 2024
· The training cruise has 3 purposes. First is to provide education and training at sea to the newly commissioned officers of the JMSDF. There are approximately 190 newly commissioned officers on board who has just graduated from Officer Candidate School in March this year. The second purpose is to provide a narrative, something like an international perspective through this training cruise. The last purpose is to strengthen and enhance with our partner, navies and the countries our defense cooperation.
· The students on this ship are not cadets but commissioned officers of the JMSDF. Our officers newly commissioned officers first they have graduated from the university or postgraduate school of 4 or 6 years. Then they go to the maritime officer candidate school and receive education for one year. And when they graduate from the officer candidate school, they promoted as ensigns to send to the to the training squadron.
· The students learn basic seamanship training such as firefighting, water tightening, lost steering maneuver, such kind of training is provided for. They also learn about the fundamentals of maritime operation and activities. They are also thought the fundamentals of leadership. They are officers of course. As they have joined the Navy, they are supposed to learn all aspects of the life on the ship even if they take different career paths like becoming a pilot or working on land, everything is, you know, all conducted by sea. Therefore, if they're not. Ship offices, sound ring as a pilot, people walking in the land, everything you have to know about what the maritime operation
· Six months is a long time to be on the ship. Sometimes it can be very stressful because you live together, sleep together eat together. One of the ways to reduce the stress is sometimes to make a day with no exercise or to organize some events to reduce their stress. It's the first time in the history of Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force we have a Starlink connection. Therefore, it is possible for everyone to connect their own smartphone to the internet access. The crew can always communicate with the families and their friends and everyone
· The concept of Free and Open Indo Pacific or as we call it FOIP is a way to strengthening and enhancing a cooperative relationship with the partners who can share our universal value, which is a maritime order based on the law and the rules.