Kashima (Photo by George Liu/NWAW)
From June to October this year, the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF)’s training squadron is visiting multiple ports in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Peru, and Chile.
Training Ship Kashima visited Seattle and held an open house for the public on June 17 at Pier 66.
Kashima was commissioned on Jan. 26, 1995, and came from visiting Anchorage. Kashima is staffed by 300 crew members.
Squadrons from the JJMSDF have made voyages like this since 1957, this year reaching their 55th journey across the Pacific. ♦