Japanese destroyer arrives on goodwill visit

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By MICHAEL lAI
ABOUT 160 Japanese sailors and officers arrived in Port Moresby yesterday on the naval destroyer Sazanami for a three-day goodwill visit under Commander Shoji Ishikawa.
Japan’s Ambassador Satoshi Nakajima said the ship was on its first visit to Papua New Guinea. It will visit Honiara in the Solomon Islands next.
“Suzanami’s call in Port Moresby will certainly promote our bilateral friendship,” he said.
Colonel Tony Oawa, of the PNG Defence Force, said it was the largest destroyer to visit Port Moresby.
The ship was one of the four warships built by Mitsubishi in 2002. It is was launched in 2003 and commissioned in 2005.
It is classed a destroyer with a weaponS system carrying triple torpedo tubes, rapid fire guns, anti-submarine rockets, a helicopter and space for aircraft landing.
Ishikawa said it was his first visit to PNG and the two nations had a lot of common maritime interests.
“This is a very good opportunity to see the place,” he said.
The vessel left Japan on Aug 16 for Guam and Darwin.