The Akizuki class destroyer is a destroyer class of the JMSDF - four ships are planned. This class is designed to escort the JMSDF's 4 larger Kongo class destroyers which are tasked with protecting Japan against a North Korean ballistic missile attack. This class used to be designated "19DD" - referring to a date on the Japanese calendar, specifically the 19th fiscal year of the Heisei period (2007).