Exclusive - Japan to speed up frigate build to reinforce East China Sea: sources

Sailors of Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) stand near the Japanese naval flag on its destroyer Kirisame during a fleet review at Sagami Bay, off Yokosuka, south of Tokyo October 18, 2015. REUTERS/Toru Hanai

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan plans to accelerate a warship building programme to make two frigates a year to patrol the fringes of the East China Sea, where it disputes island ownership with China, three people with knowledge of the plan said.

Japan previously was building one 5,000-ton class destroyer a year, but will now make two 3,000-ton class ships a year, beginning from the April 2018 fiscal year, the people said, declining to be identified as they are not authorized to talk to the media.