JS Kongou (DDG-173)

The JS Kongō (DDG-173) is the name ship of the Kongō-class destroyers in the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. Kongō is the third Japanese naval vessel named for Mount Kongō.

She was laid down by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries at their shipyard in Nagasaki, Nagasaki on May 8th. 1990, launched on September 26th, 1991; and commissioned on March 25th, 1993. Kongō was the first ship outside of the United States to feature the Aegis integrated weapon system.

In 2018, the Kongō shot down a North Korean ballistic missile that overflew Tokyo.