Japan Inaugurates First Aircraft Carrier After World War II

KYODO NEWS VIA AP

On September 1st, 2018, the Izumo-class helicopter carrier Kaga made a visit to Subic Port in Zambales Province, Philippines. The Kaga helicopter carrier was converted into a fighter jet-carrying aircraft carrier by the Japanese Ministry of Defense.

Japan inaugurated its first modern aircraft carrier after World War II, namely the Kaga aircraft carrier which is the base for the F-35B fighter jet. China criticized the existence of the Kaga aircraft carrier because it was reminiscent of the aircraft carrier of the same name used by Japan to destroy the city of Shanghai in 1937 in the early stages of World War II in Asia.

The aircraft carrier Kaga was showcased to the public earlier this week in the city of Kure, Hiroshima Prefecture. The ship was built with modifications and modernization from the Kaga helicopter transport ship. The construction project began at the end of 2021 and was completed on March 29, 2024.

The Times of India report, April 15 2024, said that the Kaga modification represented a significant change in Japan's maritime capabilities. This increase is also considered to trigger tensions and have implications for regional security.

The Japanese Ministry of Defense plans a similar conversion for the Izumo helicopter carrier to become an aircraft carrier. The second phase of modifications for the Izumo ship is planned to begin in fiscal year 2024 and be completed within two years.

Also read: Japan Increases Defense Budget by 3.3 Billion US Dollars

REUTERS/ISSEI KATO

The Kaga helicopter carrier docks at the Japanese Navy base in Sasebo, Japan, April 6, 2018.

The Japanese government is set to clarify that the Izumo and Kaga aircraft carriers will not become permanent bases for F-35B fighter jets. These Japanese aircraft carriers will not qualify as attack carriers, which Japan is prohibited from owning after surrendering unconditionally at the end of World War II in 1945.

The April 11 2024 edition of Newsweekquoted Admiral Ryo Sakai, Chief of Staff of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force, as saying that the Kaga was scheduled to conduct sea trials in the next few months. The results will be used as a reference in the conversion of the Izumo helicopter transport ship. The conversion and modernization carried out is in line with joint operational capabilities with the United States Navy.

In other words, we need to make our opponents think, attacking Japan will not get them any results.

The initial modification of Izumo began at the end of 2021. The 245-meter-long and 27,000-ton helicopter carrier was proven to be operationally suitable for the US Marine Corps' F-35B fighter jets. The fighter jets operate by landing and taking off vertically on the Izumo's runway deck.

The conversion and modification of Izumo and Kaga include heat-resistant coating on the flight deck equivalent to the US Navy's America-class amphibious assault ships. The America-class amphibious assault ships also carry STOVL aircraft, such as the V-22 Osprey, various helicopters, and F-35B fighter jets.

REUTERS/KIM KYUNG HOON

Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) aircraft carrier Izumo.

The next modification of Kaga is scheduled for 2026. The Japanese Ministry of Defense is targeting Kaga and Izumo to be fully operational carrying F-35B in 2027. Each aircraft carrier can carry 12 fighter jets and 16 helicopters.

So far, the Japanese Ministry of Defense has ordered 42 units of F-35B as an additional order to 105 units of F35A for the Air Self-Defense Force. Japan will fully operate stealth fighter jets at sea. This is in line with the growth of defense spending and tensions in the region related to North Korea's nuclear program and China's economic growth.

Also read: Trump Supports Japanese Military Modernization

In the Japanese Defense White Paper published at the end of 2023, the Commander of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces, Yasukazu Hamada, stated that it is crucial to build Japan's defense on its own and enhance its deterrent power. "In other words, we need to make our opponents think that attacking Japan will not yield any results for them," Hamada wrote in the introduction to the white paper.

Professor Yochiro Sato from Ritsumeikan University in Japan, quoted by the Times of India, said that the Kaga aircraft carrier carried fewer fighter jets than China's aircraft carrier. The Kaga also functions more in anti-submarine operations and is not a full-capacity aircraft carrier.

KAILA V. PETER/U.S. NAVY/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS

The US aircraft carrier, USS Ronald Reagan, USS Antietam, and USS Milius were conducting exercises with the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force in the South China Sea on August 31, 2018.

The Chinese government opposes Japan's armament, as it is considered contrary to Japan's Anti-War Constitution. On Tuesday (14/4/2024), a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mao Ning, urged Japan to reflect on its history full of aggression and stop militarization.

"The historical footprint of Japan, not long ago, proved its act of military aggression. The militarization of Japan will be monitored by Asian countries and the international community," said Mao Ning.

Wu Qian, spokesperson of China's Ministry of Defense, expressed disappointment over the naming of the Kaga aircraft carrier, which stems from the bloody conflict of World War II. "Japan does not want to break the chain with their history of violence. Their actions are provocative and hurt the feelings of the communities in countries that were victims of World War II," he said.

The naming of Kaga also traumatized the Japanese invasion in World War II. During the bombing and destruction of the city of Shanghai in August 1937, the Kaga aircraft carrier became the main base for attacks by Japanese bombers and fighter planes. The Japanese invasion of Shanghai is known as Event 814 or August 14, which is commemorated by the Air Force in Taiwan and China.

The Kaga aircraft carrier during World War II was sunk by torpedo bombers from the United States Navy during the Midway battle in June 1942.