Int’l Fleet Review Held in S. Korea without Japan Ship

October 12, 2018

Seoul- An international fleet review was held Thursday at Jeju Island in South Korea, with the absence of a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force vessel due to a South Korean request not to display the MSDF's rising sun flag during the event.

The fleet review was joined by 19 warships from 12 countries, including the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, and delegates from 46 countries. Besides Japan, China refrained from sending a warship to the event.

The MSDF received an invitation to the fleet review from South Korea but decided to decline the offer on the grounds that its vessels are legally obliged to raise the flag and, thus, the request is unacceptable.

In South Korea, many people see the rising sun flag as a symbol of Japan's past militarism because it had been used by the now-defunct Imperial Japanese military.

Meanwhile, MSDF Chief of Staff Adm. Yutaka Murakawa is set to participate in a symposium to be held on Friday as part of the fleet review.

At Thursday's event, South Korean President Moon Jae-in underscored the importance of strengthening his country's naval force to contribute to peace in Northeast Asia and the whole world. Jiji Press