Japanese destroyer on two-day goodwill visit to Kochi

A missile destroyer, JS Sazanami of the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) is on a two-day goodwill visit to Kochi from Tuesday.

The destroyer is commanded by Commander Shoji Ishkawa.

The Commanding Officer is accompanied by Coast Guard Superintendent Koichiro Maeda, Commanding Officer, of the Somalia Dispatch Team of the Japanese Coast Guard, and Capt Taiko Eda, Resident Defense Attache of Japan at New Delhi.

The Japanese officials called on Vice Admiral Anil Kumar Chawla, Flag Officer Commanding-in- Chief, Southern Naval Command, the release said.

JS Sazanami with about 25 officers, 156 sailors and eight Japanese Coast Guard personnel (3 officers + 5 sailors) on board would leave for Bahrain on Wednesday, the release added.