Ceremonial inspection of Self-Defense Force seaborne fleet was held in Sagami Bay off the coast of Kanagawa Prefecture.
Prime Minister Hashimoto as commander in chief went aboard escort ship "Shirane" and observed fleets of other boats and echelons of aircraft.
Touching on the new "guidelines" for Japan-US security cooperation in his formal speech then, Hashimoto stressed that "the whole Government tries to maintain an effective defense power as by legislation and will make efforts as ever to get understanding from the nation and neighboring countries."
The fleet inspection this time was the 21st of its kind and the first in 3 years (since 1994). Forty-six ships chugged their way and 47 airplanes flew around.
The event organized by all the 3 armed services (land, sea and air) was also joinned by a Defense Force company of music makers.