The ship will have a large flight deck on top capable of supporting Japan's V-22 Osprey tilt-rotors, as well as helicopters. Japan received its first Osprey in 2017 and has plans to eventually acquire a fleet of 17 of them.

JMU says that its LHD design, at present, would have a displacement of approximately 19,000 tons and an overall length of around 720 feet, according to Jane's 360 . This would make it substantially smaller than China's Type 075 or South Korea's proposed LPH-II design , as well as the U.S. Navy's Wasp class , which serves as a benchmark of sorts for large LHDs.

The Japan Marine United Corporation, or JMU, revealed the LHD design at the DSEI Japan 2019 exhibition, which ran from Nov. 18 to Nov. 20, 2019. Japan's Universal Shipbuilding Corporation and IHI Marine United Inc. merged to become JMU in 2013. IHI had received the contract to begin building the first-in-class Izumo and JMU was subsequently responsible for the construction of that ship, as well as its sister ship, the Kaga. IHI had also previously built the two smaller Hyuga class helicopter destroyers for the JMSDF.

A Japanese shipbuilder has unveiled a design for a future landing helicopter dock amphibious assault ship, or LHD, that it plans to pitch to the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, or JMSDF. Though the Japanese government has not publicly expressed an interest in such a vessel, this pitch comes as the country is working to expand its maritime and amphibious capabilities, with particularly notable plans to modify its Izumo class "helicopter destroyers" to support robust naval aviation operations that will include detachments of F-35B Joint Strike Fighters . Japanese authorities can not have missed China's launch of its first new, massive Type 075 LHD earlier this year or that South Korea is also exploring the possibility of acquiring a new, larger landing platform helicopter amphibious assault ship, or LPH, either.

The LHD would have a well deck below that can accommodate up to two American-made Landing Craft Air Cushions (LCAC), according to JMU. The ship will also be able to conduct roll-on/roll-off operations in a more traditional port setting. One graphic that JMU release of the LHD concept shows it carrying five Ospreys on its main flight deck and another five in hangars below. The same image shows the ship carrying a load of BAE Systems AAV7A1 amphibious tracked personnel carriers and 6x6 tactical trucks, as well as the pair of LCACs.

USMC A Japan Ground Self-Defense Forces AAV7A1 amphibious tracked personnel carrier.

JMU has not said how many personnel the ship could carry in total, including the landing force, but has said that it would have a standing crew of around 500. There is also no word yet on what other notable systems the vessel might have, such as radars, sensors, or weapons. The concept art the shipbuilder provided did show an extensive close-in protection suite with what appears to be three SeaRAM launchers for the RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile positioned at the stern and in front of the ship's island, as well as a Mk 15 Phalanx 20mm-Vulcan cannon-armed Close-in Weapon System (CIWS) on the forward deck. A JMU representative told Jane's 360 that the JMSDF does not have a requirement for the LHD of any kind, but that the company was still expecting it to issue one in the coming years. It would certainly make good sense for that service to acquire this kind of capability sooner rather than later. Just last year, the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) stood up the country's first dedicated marine unit, the Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade, since the end of World War II. It is the only user of the AAV7A1 armored vehicles, which JMU made a point of saying that its LHD would be able to carry. More than a decade ago, Japan began taking steps to create this unit primarily to address concerns about its ability to assert its claims over the disputed Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea. Protecting these islets, which China also lays claim to, during a potential conflict has been a major driver of other significant Japanese defense modernization efforts, including the Izumo class refit to accommodate the F-35B and the development of ground-launched hypersonic boost-glide vehicles. At present, the Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade would have to largely rely on the JMSDF's three Osumi class amphibious warfare ships. Japan classifies as tank landing ships, but, with their well deck, these are closer in general configuration to what most navies would call landing platform docks.

Japan Ministry of Defense The first-in-class Osumi with an array of vehicles, including a 4x4 Komatsu Light Armored Vehicle, second from the left of the vehicles in front, and an 8x8 Type 96 armored personnel carrier at the far right.