The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force held an official flag-lowering ceremony for the Oyashio-class submarine JS Udzushio, marking the end of 25 years of active service in the Japanese fleet.
Udzushio was officially commissioned on 9 March 2000. Construction of the vessel began on 6 March 1996 at Kawasaki Heavy Industries’ facilities in Kobe, and she was launched on 15 October 1998. The design belongs to a generation that has played a key role in Japan’s submarine deterrence and surveillance capabilities over the past decades.
As of December 2025, the Japanese Navy continues to operate six Oyashio-class submarines. Of these, two units — Isoshio and Makashio — were converted for training purposes and are used to train new crews.
Technical characteristics
The Oyashio-class submarines have a standard displacement of 2,750 tons and a submerged displacement of approximately 5,500 tons. With a length of 82 meters and a beam of 8.9 meters, they reach speeds of up to 12 knots on the surface and around 20 knots below the surface.
The standard crew consists of approximately 70 members. Armament includes six 533 mm torpedo tubes, compatible with Type 89 torpedoes and Harpoon anti-ship missiles.
Transition to a new generation
It is the direct successor of the Oyashio class Taigei classwhich is currently under construction for the Japanese Navy. These new submarines bring significant advances in reducing the acoustic footprint and are equipped with a more modern propulsion system. The Ministry of Defense of Japan has so far funded ten units of the Taigei class, of which four are already in the fleet and another four are in various stages of construction.
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Thank you for your hard work for a long time to return the Self-Defense Flag. 😍 pic.twitter.com/cwyx3cVxkR
— MICHIYA MURATA (@MICHIYAM) December 19, 2025
Source and images: MICHIYA MURATA X @MICHIYAM | Militarnyi. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
