Maritime Self Service: Fill & Download for Free

Not really code but a better term would be “legal fiction”.When the Japanese were allowed to reform its military in the early 1950’s, the various branches were “Self-Defense Forces”. So the Army was called the “Japanese Ground Self Defense Force”, the Navy “Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force” and the Air Force “Japanese Air Self Defense Force”.During the war, Japan built a number of aircraft carriers. Most were lost during the war. When the Self-Defence Forces were formed, they complied with the new constitution which prohibited “offensive” weapons, including aircraft carriers being incorporated in the armed forces.In 2015, the Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force took delivery of a “helicopter-carrying destroyer” that doesn’t look like a typical destroyer.This is the Izumo-class helicopter destroyer. There are two ships currently commissioned, DDH-183 Izumo and DDH-184 Kaga. At 27 000 tons displacement full loaded, they are the biggest ships in Japan’s navy since World War II.Here is another image with a Nimitz class carrier for comparison. The Hyuga class is the previous class of “helicopter carrying destroyer” which entered service in 2007 (DDH-181 Hyuga) and 2009 (DDH-182 Ise).Izumo can carry nine helicopters but is reported to be capable of carrying over 20 fixed wing vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft like the F-35B entering service with the US Marines and Royal Navy.Why was it given the label “destroyer” when is an aircraft carrier in all but name? Because designating it as a helicopter destroyer allows Japan to circumvent its constitutional ban on offensive weapons systems. Aircraft carriers are generally considered to be offensive weapons due to their ability to project force. As well, several of Japan’s neighbours, particularly China, took issue with the commissioning of Izumo despite the destroyer label.

Technically the answer is none but…When the Japanese were allowed to reform its military in the early 1950’s, the various branches were “Self-Defense Forces”. So the Army was called the “Japanese Ground Self Defense Force”, the Navy “Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force” and the Air Force “Japanese Air Self Defense Force”.During the war, Japan built a number of aircraft carriers. Most were lost during the war. When the Self-Defence Forces were formed, they complied with the new constitution which prohibited “offensive” weapons, including aircraft carriers being incorporated in the armed forces.In 2015, the Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force took delivery of a “helicopter-carrying destroyer” that doesn’t look like a typical destroyer.This is the Izumo-class helicopter destroyer. There are two ships currently commissioned, DDH-183 Izumo and DDH-184 Kaga. At 27 000 tons displacement full loaded, they are the biggest ships in Japan’s navy since World War II.Here is another image with a Nimitz class carrier for comparison. The Hyuga class is the previous class of “helicopter carrying destroyer” which entered service in 2007 (DDH-181 Hyuga) and 2009 (DDH-182 Ise).Izumo can carry nine helicopters but is reported to be capable of carrying over 20 fixed wing vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft like the F-35B entering service with the US Marines and Royal Navy.Why was it given the label “destroyer” when is an aircraft carrier in all but name? Because designating it as a helicopter destroyer allows Japan to circumvent its constitutional ban on offensive weapons systems. Aircraft carriers are generally considered to be offensive weapons due to their ability to project force. As well, several of Japan’s neighbours, particularly China, took issue with the commissioning of Izumo despite the destroyer label.

I don't know if you're still in search of an answer one year after asking the question, but since none of the others correctly identified the top photograph:It's the Ōsumi (LST-4001), of the Japan Maritime Self Defence Force, entered service in 1998.