Chinese and Japanese Coast Guards, Another Turn of the Screw

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There are more signs that tension between China and Japan is ratcheting up, and that their Coast Guards are the instruments of choice. The Chinese are reinforcing their Coast Guard in the Disputed area. The Chinese have disputes with a number of their neighbors, but I think they have several reasons for choosing to confront the Japanese first.

  1. Of all their claims to territory in dispute, claims to the islands variously know as the Senkaku, Diaoyu, Diaoyutai, or Pinnacle Islands, appear the most supportable.
  2. Both the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the People’s Republic of China see the islands as part of Taiwan (which the PRC, of course, also sees as part of China). This dispute puts the people of both mainland China and Taiwan on the same side against Japan. That may be seen in Beijing as politically useful.
  3. Because of their history, the Chinese people are ready to think the worst of the Japanese, so it is not hard to generate anti-Japanese feelings. Generating the same level of hostility against the Vietnamese or the people of the Philippines would be difficult.
  4. The Chinese have significant leverage on the Japanese economy, in that they have a virtually monopoly on rare earth minerals required for manufacture of many high tech devices. Playing this card has prompted a call to diversify sources for the minerals, but alternate sources are still years away.
  5. The Chinese may believe that, because the Japanese have the strongest military among the countries who have conflicting claims with China, if China can get the Japanese to roll over–the other countries may assume they cannot resist and will also cave.

Sidbar, Handicapping the contenders: If it came to blows between the two Coast Guards, I would put my money on the Japanese, but winning that particular battle may not be in the plan. Pointedly the Chinese are sending their “fastest marine law enforcement vessel.” This ship, “China Sea monitoring 75,” is slightly smaller than a 270 and only about one knot faster. The balance is changing rapidly, but the Japanese Coast Guard is still far larger and better equipped than their Chinese counterpart. In fact the Japanese Coast Guard (JCG) has more patrol vessels over 1,000 tons than the US Coast Guard, including eleven that are as large or larger than the National Security Cutter (go here and click on “pamphlet” for a pdf which includes information about the missions, organization, and assets of the Japanese Coast Guard)

In all probability, units of the nine ship Hateruma class (292 ft long, 1,300 ton, 30 knots, armed with the Mk44 Bushmaster II 30mm autocannon with laser-optical fire-control system), specifically intended to police of Senkaku Islands, will be among several vessels that will respond to any Chinese challenge.

The requirements that shape the latest vessels of the Japan Coast Guard seem to have been influenced by their experience in the “Battle of Amami-Oshima.” To call it a battle might be an exaggeration. It was a running gun-fight between an armed North Korean trawler and 20 vessels of the Japanese Coast Guard in 2001. In spite of intense machine gun fire from both sides, the North Korean vessel appears to have been scuttled, rather than sunk by fire from the Japanese vessels, the trawler’s crew choosing death rather than surrender. I find it hard to understand, in view of our experience in Vietnam, but the Japanese felt their 20mm Gatling guns were out-ranged by 9K38 Igla MANPADS and B-10 and recoilless rifle fire from the trawler. As a result they have built ships specifically intended to counter North Korean spy ships that have stabilized heavy machine guns from 20 mm M61 Gatling guns to Bofors 40mm/70s with associated fire control systems and for “High-speed, high-functionality” large patrol ships such as the three ships of the Hida class, 1,800 tons and three ships of the Aso class, 770 tons, hulls that are “bullet proof” (presumably against machine-guns up to 14.5mm–protection against anything larger would require great weight of armor).

It’s interesting to compare the JCG choices for ships of the Hateruma class and Hida class with the projected OPC. The JCG ships are much faster at 30+ knots. They have no hanger, but they can handle very large helicopters. USCG ships tend to be small naval combatants, while JCG ships appear to be built more along the lines of merchant ships. Armoring hulls is apparently not something the USCG has considered. USCG ships tend to be armed to fight at relatively longer ranges (gun ranges to 9 miles) against adversaries with sophisticated weapons including cruise missiles, while the JCG ships seem to be  optimized more for combat at relatively close, but not extremely close range (beyond 2000, but certainly less than 10,000 yards), ranges where crew served weapons and small arms are essentially useless, but their heavier weapons under electro-optic fire control can still dominate.

Sidebar, The Aftermath: Against the JCG the Chinese Coast Guard would probably loose a fight, but that might be best outcome from the Chinese point of view. If this is more about national unity and justifying sacrifice for additional weapons, nothing promotes national resolve like seeing stretchers come off a ship with wounded men to be greeted by their wives and girlfriends,  followed by body bags met by grieving widows and children. In any case, the Japanese will be portrayed as bullies–easy for the Chinese people to believe–and a strong military reaction justified. Both sides will have their cameras ready, because any encounter will be played out thousands of times on YouTube by battling videos, as we saw in the Gaza flotilla incident.

(Thanks to DER for bringing this to my attention.)


44 thoughts on “Chinese and Japanese Coast Guards, Another Turn of the Screw”

  2. Chuck,

    I’ll just offer these two news -search- items for those who wish to keep current on these WestPac problems (since I shared them with you, elsewhere).

    First, here’s a search from Google News about the Senkaku Islands:

    http://news.google.com/news/section?pz=1&cf=all&q=Senkaku+Islands&ict=ln

    Then, here’s one about that oceanic realm which the Chinese want to claim as their own private space – the South China Sea:

    http://news.google.com/news/section?pz=1&cf=all&q=South+China+Sea&ict=ln

    Of course, there is some overlap between the two search topics (given the principal, Sino-centric player).

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  4. Here are two Youtube videos (posted to MP.net) of that Chinese fishing boat striking two different Japanese Coast Guard ships near the Senkaku Islands. In the first 11 & 1/2 minute video you can see the Chinese boat hoisting a net load of fish on deck. Then, right in sight is one of the Japanese controlled islands (ergo, the Chinese vessel was really in close). Before the ramming one can see exhaust suddenly increase from the Chinese boat as it turns to ram the Coast Guard vessel. Both before and after the ramming one can see several other vessels in the area (is this a heavily trafficked sealane or fishing ground?).

    The second three & 1/2 video has the second ramming. There isn’t any doubt about these being accidental collisions. That Chinese ship captain was trying to emulate an ancient Greek trireme in his ramming tactics.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOUvdNjs_Cg

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3JYT0G94-E

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    • DER, Thanks, Not exactly the Battle of Salamis but obviously intentional. In the second video you can see that there are three Japan CG vessels surrounding him. Would have liked to see how they finally got him to stop.
      Possibly all three Japanese ships, but certainly the one from which the first video was made, were Hateruma class http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hateruma_class_patrol_vessel
      Photo here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Plhakata.jpg
      Generally among Asian countries they will quote light displacement only (to minimize their warlike appearance). That’s why a ship that appears larger than a Bear class, 270 WMEC (1800 tons) is listed as 1300 tons.

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  5. Chuck,

    There appear to be at least a couple of interesting trends that are developing in the age of the guided missile:

    1) gunnery is resurgent in dealing with pirates;
    2) ramming tactics are also resurgent, as evidenced by this action and that between Japanese whalers and anti-whaling protesters.

    My mention of triremes and your mention of Salamis (along with recent events) seem to indicate that some are indeed reverting to Classical Era naval tactics.

    For a good grin or even a laugh, go to the MP.net thread which introduced those two videos. There’s a Chicom troll who’s getting verbally keelhauled for his interesting, repeated comments (he’s asserting that the Japanese CG vessels turned into the path of the Chinese fishing vessel). Perhaps the USCG and USN should consider once again including armored belts over ships’ vital spaces.

    Footages of Chinese Fishing Boat Incident off Senkaku Leaked

    http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?188781-Footages-of-Chinese-Fishing-Boat-Incident-off-Senkaku-Leaked

    Reply ↓

    • Maybe the Japanese were smart in armoring the hulls of some of their patrol boats. It did look like all the damage was above the waterline because of the extreme flare of the chine vessel’s bow. Perhaps the wave (and hull) piercing bow has a future.

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  6. Chuck,

    So, modern interpretations of third quarter 19th century tumblehome hull forms and reinforced subsurface bows featuring rams, huh? Didn’t the RN suffer from such thinking and features in the Med during a badly executed maneuver in the 1870s or ’80s? Ships crossed courses during a course reversal and there was a ramming and resultant sinking. I cannot recall the name of the incident or the ships involved, but I do recall reading about it.

    Still, I suppose we shouldn’t be surprised to see this sort of development as many powers may be reluctant to release the dogs of war (launch AShMs).

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    • That article suggests that the captain of the fishing vessel was a PLAN naval officer and that the incident may have been instigated by China.

      If you look at what happened when the USNS Impeccable was harassed by the Chinese. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29596179/
      Two of the vessel doing the harassing were nominally fishing trawlers, not “state vessels.” That suggest that at least some Chinese fishing vessels may be acting as naval auxiliaries.

      On the other hand, I can sympathize with Chinese fishermen if they that a long history of fishing in these waters, and they are now being told they can’t do that any more. In Real Estate Law that would constitute and “easement.” Still if I were a fisherman, I would not have argued with three armed cutters.

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  9. Chuck,

    A Japanese contributor at MP.net has posted six videos of the encounter between the Chinese fishing boat and Japanese Coast Guard vessels. While a couple of the videos are those we have already seen, the others appear to be new. The fishing boat clearly has its net strung out astern while one of the Senkaku Islands is visible in the same video clip. This is the third page of the MP.net thread about the rammings and the videos are in posting # 40.

    http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?188781-Footages-of-Chinese-Fishing-Boat-Incident-off-Senkaku-Leaked/page3

    Reply ↓

  11. Chuck,

    It appears to be true concerning Yonaguni Island, as Kyle Mizokami confirms the move to place forces on that most southwestern of Japan’s island chain. It’s getting a garrison of Japanese GSDF troops and a RADAR station. This is an action aimed at monitoring Chinese PLAN activities near Japanese islands bordering the East China Sea.

    Japan Security Watch – Yonaguni is getting a garrison

    http://japansw.wordpress.com/2010/11/10/yonaguni-is-getting-a-garrison/

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  15. The USN will be participating with the Japanese MSDF in an exercise which will simulate the retaking of an invaded island among the chain of Japanese territories south of Okinawa. Read the entire article, as it provides some additional insights into what might be driving Chinese actions along the eastern border of the East China Sea.

    Asia Times Online – US sails with Japan to flashpoint channel
    By Todd Crowell

    TOKYO – This month, Japan’s Self Defense Forces will hold their first-ever island defense exercise in concert with the United States military in Japan.

    Is the threat of China seizing any of these islands by force realistic?

    It would be beneficial to China if it could occupy and fortify many of the islands in the southern Sakishima chain. They would be useful in the unlikely event of any war with Taiwan, by allowing the Chinese navy to operate more readily along Taiwan’s east coast, which is honeycombed with military installations, many dating back to Japanese occupation and fear of invasion – from the east.

    http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Japan/LL03Dh01.html

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    • There have been indications that the Japanese are in the process of forming a Marine Corp and the rationale is the need to recapture islands that may be seized, presumably by the Chinese.

      The reason usually sited for the Chinese claims is economic (oil), but there would be strategic advantages as well.

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  17. Now a Chinese fishing trawler has rammed a South Korean Coast Guard vessel. One Chinese fisherman died, two Chinese fishermen are missing, and four SK coast guardsmen have been injured. The 63 ton Chinese trawler capsized after ramming the larger SKCG vessel. Reportedly, there were 50 Chinese trawlers fishing within SK territorial waters at the time of the incident. The video from Al Jazeera (English) demonstrates just how violently the Chinese crew were acting during the incident.

    RTT News – Chinese Fisherman Killed In Clash With South Korean Coast Guard

    http://www.rttnews.com/Content/MarketSensitiveNews.aspx?Id=1510141&SM=1

    A video and text report from Al Jazeera – Chinese trawler in Yellow Sea clash

    A routine check goes awry after Chinese fishermen stop South Korean coast guards from boarding trawler in Yellow Sea.

    http://english.aljazeera.net/video/asia-pacific/2010/12/20101218175020549693.html

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  20. Well, the Japanese government appears to be planning a reversal of that turn of the screw. A portion of the news report describing this possible plan follows.

    The Mainichi Daily News – Coast Guard may be empowered to conduct compulsory ship inspections

    The panel will consider changes, including a review of operational standards for weapons use, with a view to revising the Japan Coast Guard Law and a law governing the navigation of foreign vessels in Japan’s territorial waters.

    Under the guidelines, the panel will consider introducing a procedure to prevent illegal action including the issuance of warnings for vessels to leave territorial waters.

    The guidelines also call for considering the option of giving Coast Guard personnel the authority to conduct compulsory inspections, for example, in examining documents, after illegal acts take place, to enhance the effectiveness of on-board inspections.

    The guidelines refer to the need to levy fines and ban port calls by foreign ships that intrude in Japan’s territorial waters to prevent the repeat of illegal acts.

    http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20110108p2g00m0dm017000c.html

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  21. The Japanese Coast Guard appears to be preparing for the building of a new 1,000 ton class of improved performance patrol craft. Recent events during interactions between Japanese and South Korean CG vessels and aggressive (ramming) Chinese fishing boats appear to be part of what may be driving this development.

    Japan Coast Guard to start developing high-performance boats

    http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20110113p2g00m0dm023000c.html

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    • DER, Thanks. I find it interesting that the Japanese seem to deal with the fisheries enforcement issues by deploying vessels in groups. In both these incidents there were three or four Japan Coast Guard vessels on scene. In the incident where they engaged a North Korean spy ship (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Amami-%C5%8Cshima) there were reportedly about 20 Japanese cutters involved. As noted before, with a much smaller EEZ, they have more patrol ships than the US. On the other hand, they don’t seem to have nearly as many aircraft. It may be that there are many more fishing vessels per unit area, so they may need to do a lot of boardings.

      When you do a high stress enforcement action, it would be good to know you had eyes on the other side of the vessel you are dealing with.

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  22. Chuck,

    There’s more going on in that chain of islands southwest of Okinawa. Japan is preparing additional, enhanced defenses for the area. Kyle Mizokami covers this at his Japan Security Watch blog (NOTE – it’s his new site).

    Map References: “SDF Preparations All Have But Only One Target: China”

    http://newpacificinstitute.org/jsw/?p=3517

    Then, there are the continuing problems of fisheries and conflicting territorial claims between Japan and South Korea. The Japanese Coast Guard used four patrol craft (that clearly seems to link in with your above comment) to corral a South Korean fishing vessel they claim to have found fishing within the Japanese EEZ. The captain of the SK FV has been arrested. This happened as the two nations have agreed to further discuss and develop mutual defense support structures in response to aggression by North Korea and the growing apparent threat posed by the PRC’s armed forces. It’s quite a muddled and confusing environment in which the various forces must operate. Here’s some coverage from the Washington Post (I read about the four patrol boats in a report appearing earlier today).

    Japan arrests Korean fishing boat captain in disputed waters

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/13/AR2011011301634.html

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    • If it was in fact 40 mi SE of Liancort Rocks (Dokdo to the Koreans) then it appears it is closer to that island than it is to any clearly Japanese territory, so are the Japanese going to get tough with the Koreans after they caved to the Chinese? Not a good idea.

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  23. This from Night Watch 27January 2011, http://www.kforcegov.com/

    “Japan-China: The Japanese Coast Guard reported that it detected the Chinese patrol ship, Yuzheng 201 sailing near the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea on Thursday, 27 January. The Chinese ship was seen around in the contiguous zone, just outside Japan’s territorial waters, about 29 kilometers northwest of Kuba Island, one of the islets of the Senkaku group, which China claims. .

    “After spotting the Chinese ship, the coast guard warned it not to enter Japanese territorial waters by radio from its aircraft and patrol boats, its officials said. The Chinese vessel responded by radio, ”The Senkaku Islands are an integral part of Chinese territory. We are conducting legitimate operations,” according to the officials. After about three hours, the ship departed the contiguous zone without entering Japan’s territorial waters and headed westward towards China.

    “The same ship was spotted navigating in the contiguous zone near the islet group in late November. Five Chinese patrol ships, including Yuzheng 201, have been spotted in the contiguous zone near disputed waters since the September incident in which a Chinese trawler rammed a Japanese patrol ship.

    “Comment: This update indicates Chinese patrol ships are avoiding armed confrontation, such as by entering Japanese territorial waters. While that action would be consistent with the Chinese claim of ownership, it would lead to a clash with Japan. Nevertheless, the radio message from the captain of Yuzheng 201 leaves no doubt that present restraint is not necessarily permanent because there is no flexibility in China’s claim to ownership of any region considered Chinese territory.”

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  26. Chuck I viewed the pictures and its hard to believe that a nation would be wasting so much action on these islands. Pride is a dangerous weapon.

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