While in Lithuania, Japan’s representatives will carry out visits to Klaipėda, Kaunas, Vilnius, and Medininkai, meet with representatives of the Ministry of National Defence, Lithuanian Navy, city council of Klaipėda, lay flowers at the memorial for Lithuanian Freedom Defenders at Antakalnis cemetery, visit General Jonas Žemaitis Military Academy of Lithuania in Vilnius. Medics from the crews will visit Klaipėda Seamen's Hospital. Visits of the crew members to the Naval Flotilla of the Lithuanian Armed Forces and the Lithuanian Maritime Academy are planned to let members of JMSDF Training Squadron familiarise with training system of Lithuanian seamen and naval officers.
On August 9-10 all the three Japanese ships (JS KASHIMA, JS ASAGIRI and JS SETOYUKI) moored in Klaipėda will be open to the public.
On August 9 a drum and wind band of the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force Training Squadron will perform in Cathedral Square in Vilnius.
Lithuania is one of the 13 countries visited by JMSDF Training Squadron in its around-the-globe training deployment it begun on May 20. The Squadron will moor in Klaipėda on August 8 after transiting the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans on its way from London. The overseas training cruise is an annual deployment conducted to share experience with the counterparts of the visited countries and to enhance bilateral relations.
Defence and security cooperation with Japan
Lithuania’s defence and security cooperation with Japan was particularly intense in 2009-2013 while implementing objectives of the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) of Ghor province, Afghanistan.
Lithuanian-Japanese defence and security cooperation was at its peak so far within the framework of NATO International Security Assistance Forces (ISAF) in Afghanistan. From 2009 to 2011 Japan’s Civilian Office, a body in charge of development cooperation projects, worked in composition of the Lithuanian-led PRT of Ghor province. Later the Office moved to Kabul from where it coordinated the provision of assistance. Japan also kept supporting the province of Ghor when the Lithuanian-led PRT was closed in August 2013. Throughout the period of supporting Ghor Japan provided funding for projects for the total worth of USD 50 million.
Another significant area of cooperation is harboured at the Military Academy of Lithuania and the Baltic Defence College where representatives of the National Institute for Defence Studies under the Ministry of Defence of Japan deliver lectures to cast light on security situation in Asia and its effects on global security.
