Uzushio, belonging to the Oyashio class, was built at the Kawasaki Heavy Industries shipyard in Kobe. The order was placed in 1995, with keel laying taking place on March 6, 1996. The submarine was launched on November 25, 1998, and commissioned on March 9, 2000. As emphasized by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force press office, the vessel was heavily operated and covered a distance equivalent to twelve circumnavigations of the globe. Due to the wear of its mechanisms, as well as the continuous development of submarine classes, Japan does not invest in costly modernizations or life-extension programs for such units.
Photo: Japanese Self-Defense Force
The Oyashio-class submarines are being gradually replaced by Taigei-class units, which are equipped with lithium-ion batteries. Through technological development, Japan aims to achieve underwater endurance exceeding three weeks. Complementing the Taigei class is a series of twelve Sōryū-class submarines, which entered service between 2009 and 2021.
The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force maintains a substantial submarine force due to its tactical requirements. In East Asia, Japan competes to secure maritime lines of communication with Russia, China, the Republic of Korea, and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
