Three Japanese naval ships on a training mission arrived Monday in Kiel, marking the first time the Japanese navy had made a port call to the northern German city in 22 years, DPA reported. The three vessels under the command of Rear Admiral Fumiyuki Kitagawa were welcomed with a rare 21-gun salute as they approached the port. The flagship training ship Kashima and the destroyers Isoyuki and Shirayuki have been travelling around the world since May. Among the 750 crew members are about 180 cadets. The Japanese ships had previously visited Gdynia, Poland; Helsinki; and St Petersburg. During the visit, the public will be able to board the vessels.
