MUMBAI: The training squadron of the Japan Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF), comprising three warships, arrived here on Monday morning on a three-day goodwill visit. The squadron is circumnavigating the world.

Commanded by Rear Admiral Masahiri Shibata, the squadron has JDS Kashima, a 4050 tonne dedicated training ship and destroyers JDS Murasame and JDS Yuugiri. The Indian frigate INS Godavari and offshore patrol vessel INS Suvarna are host ships for the visiting vessels.

During their three-day stay in Mumbai, the Japanese trainees, newly commissioned officers and sailors will interact with their Indian counterparts and participate in friendly sports events. The Indian Navy is hosting a reception in honour of the JMSDF ships.

INS Godavari and INS Suvarna will participate in a joint exercise with the Japanese warships while escorting them out of the Indian territorial waters.

After leaving Tokyo on April 19, the Japanese ships have undertaken the trans-Pacific and trans-Atlantic voyages and passed through the Panama and Suez Canals, before arriving in Mumbai from Port Said. When they return home on September 20 next, they will have called on 14 ports of 13 countries and logged 30,410 nautical miles around the world.

Every year the squadron goes on a long training voyage with about 180 trainee officers. "We have three major objectives for our newly commissioned officers — development of seamanship, international perspective and friendship with other navies," Admiral Shibata told reporters onboard JDS Kashima.

JDS Kashima is a floating academy for surface warfare and has simulators for training officers in principal naval weapons to deal with surface, air and underwater threats.

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