The Philippine Navy (PN) on Sunday confirmed the "possible transfer" of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF)'s Abukuma-class destroyer escorts.

The PN Is now undertaking preparatory steps for a Joint Visual Inspection (JVI) of the ships following the official invitation from Japan's Ministry of Defense.

"This planned inspection forms part of exploratory discussions on the possible transfer of these naval assets to the Philippines. Designed for anti-submarine and anti-ship warfare, the Abukuma-class destroyer escorts are known for their reliability and versatility, which align with the PN’s operational requirements in protecting the country’s maritime domains," the PN said in a statement.

The Abukuma-class destroyer escorts have a displacement of 2,000 gross tons and a length of 109 meters and a beam of 44 meters.

It has a top speed of 27 knots and is armed with various anti-ship missiles, anti-submarine rockets and torpedoes along with a 76mm main gun and 20mm closed-in weapon system.

The JMSDF operated six Abukuma-class destroyer escorts, which were constructed from 1988 to 1991.

A delegation of naval experts from the PN will be dispatched to conduct an in-depth assessment of the ships.

"The outcome of this inspection will guide further deliberations on the potential acquisition and its alignment with the PN's modernization efforts," it added.