Australia and Japan Seal Warship Deal

The agreement secures the production of 11 Mogami-class frigates for the Australian Navy, with the first three to be built in Japan.

This partnership signifies a deepening of defense cooperation between the two nations as they respond to China's growing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific.

Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles and his Japanese counterpart signed the deal aboard a warship in Melbourne.

The first delivery is expected within three years, with subsequent vessels to be constructed in Western Australia.