Japan should be flexible in Australian submarine tender: retired Japanese admiral

At least some of Australia's new submarine fleet should be built in the country, an influential retired Japanese admiral said on Thursday, signaling a possible softening in Japan's position on the controversial A$50 billion ($39 billion) project. Speaking on the sidelines of a conference of Australian naval officials, defense contractors and industry groups in Adelaide, retired Vice Admiral Yoji Koda said Japan should work with Australia to develop and maintain a submarine capability. "At least some boats should be built in this country," said Koda, who is close to Japan's defense establishment. "I used to be heavily involved in defense force planning ... Maybe the best way is proportional to the number of ships to be built," Koda told Reuters at the Future Submarine Summit, suggesting that perhaps only the first of up to a dozen submarines would be built in Japan.

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