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| JS Ise (Image: Wiki Commons) |
TOKYO, April 28 (Xinhua) -- A Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer arrived at the Sasebo base in Nagasaki, southwestern Japan, on Friday, where it will likely become part of an new amphibious unit to be stationed there next year.
The helicopter-carrying destroyer called Ise is replacing the retired destroyer Kurama at the Sasebo base.
The Ise, which is capable of handling the take-offs and landing of up to three helicopters simultaneously. Its flattop desk is 197 meters long and 33 meters wide and it is capable of carrying the controversial V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft.
These "offensive" weapons are in contravention of Japan's pacifist Constitution, a key clause of which reads that "land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained."
At a ceremony held on Friday, the skipper of the Ise vowed to work hard to ensure the ship would serve at the core of maritime missions.
Read the full story at Xinhua
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Story Quote: "These "offensive" weapons are in contravention of Japan's pacifist Constitution"
PacificSentinel: These ships were designed to carry Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Helicopters to patrol the sea's around Japan & keep them clean of Chinese, Russian & North Korean Attack Submarines, they are therefore "Defensive" in nature, with a humanitarian capability for disaster relief missions, can they be used to support beach landings, yes, were they designed for that role, no, so this is just more Chinese overacting.