Japanese Warships Return to Wellington After 89 Years Amid Pacific Power Shifts

In a rare and symbolic display of maritime diplomacy, two Japanese warships sailed into New Zealand’s capital on Friday—the first such visit to Wellington in almost nine decades—as Tokyo deepens its military partnerships across the South Pacific.

The destroyers JS Ise and JS Suzunami, carrying over 500 crew members, were escorted into Wellington Harbour by the Royal New Zealand Navy ship HMNZS Canterbury. The vessels arrived from Sydney, where they had participated in Indo-Pacific military exercises alongside New Zealand, Australia, and other regional allies.

While the stopover is primarily ceremonial, it underscores Japan’s ongoing strategy to expand defence cooperation in the Pacific—an area increasingly shaped by strategic rivalry between China and Western powers.

Also Read: India, Brazil Forge Stronger Defence Ties in Key Brasília Meet

“Our defence force is building stronger cooperation not only with New Zealand and Australia, but also with many Pacific Island nations,” said Makoto Osawa, Japan’s ambassador to Wellington. “Our main goal is the free and open Indo-Pacific.”

The visit follows a major defence milestone earlier this week: Australia awarded Japanese firm Mitsubishi Heavy Industries the contract to build new warships, in what Canberra called the largest defence industry agreement between the two countries.

New Zealand, meanwhile, has been recalibrating its foreign policy to place greater emphasis on Pacific security. In July, officials confirmed work had begun on a defence logistics agreement with Japan, designed to streamline joint operations between their armed forces.

Japanese naval visits this far south remain uncommon, but growing strategic competition in the Pacific has prompted Tokyo to extend its reach. The waters surrounding New Zealand, Australia, and smaller Pacific nations are becoming focal points for geopolitical influence.

The region has not been immune to rising tensions: in February, Chinese naval live-fire exercises in the Tasman Sea forced civilian flights to divert, sparking diplomatic concern in both Wellington and Canberra.

The New Zealand Defence Force confirmed the last Japanese naval vessel to dock in Wellington was in 1936—nearly 90 years ago. Auckland last hosted a Japanese warship in 2016.

As the JS Ise and JS Suzunami make their historic call, the visit signals not just a rekindling of naval ties, but a clear marker of shifting security dynamics in the Pacific’s vast, contested waters.

Also Read: Trump’s Tariffs Cloud Rubio’s Asia Diplomatic Debut