By Prashanth Parameswaran
The Hayato is a boost for Vietnam’s maritime security.
On August 5, Japan handed over a patrol vessel to Vietnam to use for maritime patrols.
The Japan International Cooperation System handed the ship over to the Vietnam Fisheries Resources Surveillance force at a delivery ceremony in Hong Ha Shipyard in the northern port city Hai Phong.
The vessel is part of a deal involving six used vessels that Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida pledged to donate to Vietnam during an August 2014 visit to Hanoi to help strengthen maritime safety. As I have noted previously, Japan has intensified its engagement with Southeast Asian countries under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, particularly in the defense realm (See for instance: “The Future of US-Japan-Vietnam Trilateral Cooperation”).
The deal is financed through an official development assistance package worth 500 million yen ($4 million). Two of the six vessels are patrol boats of the Japanese Fisheries Agency, while the other four are commercial fishing boats.
Read the full story at The Diplomat