JDS Akashi (AGS-5101) was an oceanographic research ship of Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) in the late 1960s.

However, with the passive warfare of anti-submarine warfare, the collection of marine environmental data is required for efficient execution of maritime operations, and seafloor topography / sediment, tidal currents / geomagnetism, and water temperature / salt content and marine weather, etc.

As a result, expectations for the construction of an observation ship have come to the Maritime Self-Defense Force from related parties.

[1] At the beginning of the formulation of the Third Defense Build-up Plan, the smallest scale of 700 tons, speed of 12 knots, and about 58 crew members were considered.

Her total distance traveled was about 680,000 nautical miles, and her marine observation missions were 194 times, spanning 3,011 days.