Japanese destroyer in Vietnam on friendly visit

By Lan Ha April 20, 2021 | 05:14 am PT

Destroyer JS Akebono docks at the Tan Cang Port in Hai Phong, April 20, 2021. Photo by Vietnam Navy Newspaper.

Japanese destroyer JS Akebono docked in the northern port city of Hai Phong Tuesday, beginning a three-day visit to Vietnam.

The destroyer with 247 crew members and Captain Hamasaki Shingo at the helm will be seeking logistics and technical services in the city, besides having some friendly meetings with the Vietnam Naval Academy, which will be held online as a Covid-19 safety precaution.

The visit is part of efforts to boost defense and security cooperation between Vietnam and Japan and maintain the countries’ strategic partnership, officials said.

JS Akebono (DD-108), commissioned in March 2002, is the eighth ship of Murasame-class destroyers.