Japan Maritime Self Defense Force’s (JMSDF) JS Uraga and JS Hirado made a logistic port of call to Brunei Darussalam on December 27.
Along with the visit, the Royal Brunei Navy (RBN) and JMSDF have successfully conducted the Passage Exercise (PASSEX), participated by three ships namely, KDB Darulehsan, JS Uraga (Uraga-Class Minesweeper Vessel) and JS Hirado (Awaji-Class Minesweeper Vessel), while enroute to Muara Commercial Port.
Prior to and during the PASSEX, all planning and coordination meetings as well as execution were conducted virtually in line with the Prime Ministers’ Office (PMO) and the Ministry of Health (MoH) current COVID-19 guidelines.
A sequence of communication and manoeuvring exercises have also been pre-arranged to offer opportunities for all officers and crew from both navies to exercise interoperability while working and operating together at sea.
The ceremony came to a close with a goodbye pass, in which both navies took part in ceremonials including ‘piping the side and lined the deck’ to bid farewell and show gratitude for their good friendship.
Both captains expressed gratitude and fulfilment with the exercises and look forward to more opportunities to strengthen naval ties in the future.
During the logistic visit, RBN’s Fleet Commander Captain Khairil bin Haji Abdul Rahman also received a virtual courtesy call by the JMSDF delegation led by Commander of Minesweeper Division One Captain Yasushi Noguchi along with the commanding officers – Commander Koji Kondo and Lieutenant Commander Akira Ito.
Meanwhile, representatives from the Japanese Embassy in Brunei Darussalam were Second Secretary for Defence Cooperation at the Japanese Embassy in Brunei Darussalam Lieutenant Commander Sugimoto Kentaro.
The RBN remains committed to strengthening its relationship with JMSDF, enhancing interoperability and capacity building opportunities towards the goal of cooperation at sea.
The RBN also wished the ships of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force safe passage to their next port of call.
