German navy vessel to make 1st port call in Japan in 20 years

@klaus

He’s not going to be checking for rust/dust etc, inspect as in to have a formal review of the ship. Pretty sure it was the same vessel that visited my hometown of Perth last month.

Pity the guys missed Oktoberfest!

That represents Germanys entire defense budget

@klausdorth; Rober Cikki; Thomas Goodtime

Hey guys, let's be a bit more serious about this topic. We live in difficult times, with politicians leading the world, who obviously don't know or simply lack the guts to make the right and necessary decisions.

But I sure that a port call of a small German naval Task Force, lead by Germany's most modern frigate, visiting Japan will neither trigger a new war nor will it revive the "old friendship". I even doubt that this "old friendship" actually was driven by deep mutual understanding. It was rather opportunsitic. Besides that, this is a weak show of force of German foreign and defense policy. Nothing to be afraid of, at least from a Chinese or Russian point of view. As an reserve officer in the German Navy, I can assure you that Germany totally lacks the necessary military capabilities to pose a threat to anyone! Adding one or two ships to a multinational Task Force to counter Chinese assertivnes in the South China Sea, which by the way is unjust and a violation of international laws, is a very small contribution and won't make a big difference. USA, UK, Australia and France are the big players in support of the states bordering the South China Sea, intimidated by Chinas aggressive behavior in this region. Sending these ships from Germany is like saying "Hey guys, sorry, but that's all we got. But we are with you in our thoughts. Greetings from Germany."

In case there'll be an "open ship" for the public, go there and enjoy some original German beer. Cheers!

Interesting the Germans are also supporting the international effort to keep a free and open pacific region, more representative of political support than anything else, their military is in a parlous state, at one point few is any of their surface fleet were seaworthy and none of their submarines could put to sea, their Air Force was struggling to find enough serviceable airframes to fulfil their NATO obligations. That’s what happens when short sighted politicians refuse to fund their military even adequately. I believe things are starting to improve, thanks to Vlad, and his threats an aggression, rather a wake up call for them.

Don't tell me it is the late delivery of nuclear material that Japan wanted at the end of WW2!

@Paul

Let's hope so!

Is this the same German frigate the Chinese turned away from a planned port call in Shanghai?

Paul it is a German navy frigate not the post office!

A German navy frigate will make a port call in Tokyo on Friday

Hope this will not be a revisit to the tripartite military alliance of 1940, which resulted in disastrous ending.

Of course, there's a sea difference in the situation between then and now. Both Germany and Japan are under the control of the U.S. to the extent that they may work as U.S. vanguards should a war occur against a third country.

Japan has been a US ally since 1951. Germany since 1955. Funny all these silly comments about WWII from people for whom that war is long past history.