[1][page needed] Tone was laid down at Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Tokyo Shipyard on 8 February 1991 and launched on 6 December 1991.

It was planned for the destroyer escort to be open to the public at Shibushi Port, along with the escort vessels JS Sendai, JS Sawakaze, and the transport vessel JS Ōsumi at the Kanoya Air Festival held from 19 to 20 May 2001, but near Fukuejima, a Chinese Navy ice-breaking information gathering ship was sailing offshore, so the activity was canceled so that the ships could track and monitor the Chinese vessel.

After leaving Sasebo on 2 October 2001, she engaged in warning and surveillance activities with the US Navy amphibious assault ship USS Essex.

On 25 December, the Joint Staff Office of the Ministry of Defense announced that Tone was in the waters of the Central East China Sea at around 4 PM on the 24th of December, with the Chinese Navy aircraft carrier Liaoning, three missile destroyers, three frigate ships, and one supply ship, visually confirming the aircraft carrier's presence.

This is the first time that the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force had visually confirmed the aircraft carrier of the Chinese Navy.