[1] The specifications of the Hyūga class are comparable to light aircraft carriers, such as the Italian Giuseppe Garibaldi and Spanish Príncipe de Asturias.

[citation needed] Under the JMSDF's naming conventions, the ships are called goei-kan (護衛艦, lit.

[1] The ships have also operated JGSDF Fuji AH-64D Apache attack helicopters during joint amphibious exercises with the United States.

[14] In November 2009, Hyūga participated in "Annualex 21G" joint naval exercise with the US aircraft carrier USS George Washington and other USN and JMSDF ships to maintain the interoperability between the two navies.

[citation needed] On 11 March 2011, the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami struck the northeast part of Japan.

Hyūga immediately moved to off the coast of Miyagi prefecture and started search and rescue operations.