In September 2011, the" Asahi Shinbun" reported that the Ministry of Defence was to proceed with a budget request calling for funds for the construction of the planned second unit in the class. The request was approved and the construction contract was awarded to IHI Corporation in October 2012. This will come under the Defense Ministry's Mid-Term Defense Program FY2011-2015. The first ship in the class, "Izumo" was launched on 6 August 2013. The ship was commissioned on 25 March 2015. "Izumo" was named after (present-day Shimane Prefecture), and "Kaga" after (present-day Ishikawa Prefecture). On 6 August 2013, was unveiled in Yokohama, south of Tokyo, Japan. Japanese officials claimed it would be used in national defense, specifically citing anti-submarine warfare and border-area surveillance missions. Additionally, it is also asserted to bolster Japan's ability to transport personnel and supplies in response to large-scale disasters. This unveiling occurred at a time of heightened tensions over the Senkaku Islands. The "Washington Post" noted that this ship - the biggest warship in Japan's fleet since World War II - "has raised eyebrows in China and elsewhere because it bears a strong resemblance to a conventional aircraft carrier" and has been described by the Chinese as an "aircraft-carrier in disguise." Though called a destroyer, some experts believe the new Japanese ship could potentially be used in the future to launch fighter jets (F-35B) or other fixed wing aircraft. Japanese military sources confirmed that the possibility of operating fixed wing aircraft was incorporated into the design of the ships from the earliest stages of the "Izumo" program, but this was not made public because Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution prohibits Japan from possessing offensive military weapons such as aircraft carriers. The aircraft elevators and the deck paint were designed to handle aircraft like the F-35B, and it would be possible to add a ski-jump to the flight deck for STOVL operations. In December 2017, several sources including "Reuters" and "Yomiuri Shimbun" reported that the Japanese government was contemplating modifying the "Izumo" class to operate F-35B STOVL aircraft. Multiple plans were reportedly under consideration, some of which call for US Marine Corps F-35s to use the vessels while others for Japan to procure its own aircraft. The plan quickly raised criticism from China, where government officials reacted negatively and urged Japan to "act cautiously".