Osumi was laid down on 6 December 1995 and launched on 18 November 1996 by Mitsui Engineeringand Shipbuilding, Tamano. She was commissioned into the 1st Landing Group on 11 March 1998.
Initially, the ship was not equipped with a fin stabilizer (rolling prevention device) that improves stability during open sea voyages and helicopter takeoffs and landings due to political judgment, and in 2006, eight years after commissioning, international emergency assistance was provided. The Stabilizer installation cost was finally budgeted by the Defense Agency (currently the Ministry of Defense) as a repair cost for a large transport ship to respond to the activity, and at the same time the capacity of aviation fuel was increased. It was also equipped with a tactical air navigation system (TACAN), which was not available at the time of commissioning.