Japan Navy's JS Hamana conducts exercise with Italian OPV Francesco Morosini.

According to a tweet published by the Japanese MoD on July 4, 2023, the Towada class replenishment ship JS Hamana conducted a bilateral exercise with the Italian Navy OPV ITS Francesco Morosini in the East China Sea and strengthened cooperation with the Italian Navy.
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Italian Thaon di Revel class Offshore Patrol Vessel Francesco Morosini and Japanese replenishment ship JS Hamana. (Picture source: JMSDF)

JS Hamana's Commanding Officer, Commander Horibe Nariyoshi, expressed pride in collaborating with Italy's advanced ship, the ITS Francesco Morosini, and wished the crew safe travels.

These joint exercises underscore the partnership between Italy and Japan in fostering a "Free and Open Indo-Pacific" region. Mutual defense cooperation has been intensified between the two nations through various exercises, including counter-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden.

ITS Francesco Morosini deployment

The Francesco Morosini, the second ship in the Multipurpose Offshore Patrol Ship (PPA) class of the Italian Navy, set sail from La Spezia Naval Base on April, 6 for a five-month tour in the Far East.

As part of the expedition, the crew has already participated in key events such as the Singapore International Maritime Defence Exhibition (IMDEX) and the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA). They also joined in the Indonesian-led Komodo 23 exercise in the South China Sea, focusing on crisis management and rescue operations.

The Morosini, journeying to the Far East and sailing the China Sea, has already made port calls at Yokosuka, Japan in mid-June, and Pusan, South Korea towards the end of June. These visits are part of their naval diplomacy efforts, reaching out to a total of fifteen ports across fourteen Southeast Asian countries.