“Japan amplifies maritime security amid rising regional tensions” –Indo-Pacific Defense Forum

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The Japan Coast Guard and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force conduct a joint drill. IMAGE CREDIT: JAPAN COAST GUARD

Indo-Pacific Defense Forum reports Japan is attempting to increase coordination between their Maritime Defense Force (navy) and Coast Guard.

“Japan’s economic security is wedded to stable sea lines of communication (SLOC) that stretch through the East China Sea to waters around Taiwan, from the South China Seas to the Malacca straits into the Indian Ocean,” Stephen Nagy, professor at the Department of Politics and International Studies at the International Christian University in Tokyo, told FORUM. “The recently announced five-year ocean policy plan aims to bring stability to these SLOCs through more operational synergy between the [J]MSDF and Japan’s Coast Guard.”

There is little doubt this is in response to Chinese misbehavior. Still, until recently there has been little coordination between the two services.

The Japan Coast Guard has a long association with the US Coast Guard. From Wikipedia,

 “…in March 1946, USCG Captain Frank M. Meals was invited to consider the situation. Captain Meals suggested the establishment of a comprehensive coast guard organization based on the USCG. In response to this, the Maritime Safety Agency (MSA) was established as an external station of the Ministry of Transportation in 1948. Its English name was changed to Japan Coast Guard in April 2000.”

The Japan Coast Guard has never had the close association with the Maritime Defense Force that the US Coast Guard enjoys with the US Navy. It appears that is changing.

An artist’s rendering shows the Japan Coast Guard’s SeaGuardian drone. (General Atomics Aeronautical Systems)

As noted, the Japan Coast Guard has fielded MQ-9B long endurance, medium altitude, unmanned aircraft, a capability the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force does not yet have.

Seems the Japanese now view the Japan Coast Guard as a trip wire. That if the Chinese make an aggressive move, the Japan Coast Guard is likely to be the first to detect–and feel it.

1 thought on ““Japan amplifies maritime security amid rising regional tensions” –Indo-Pacific Defense Forum”

  1. Drones are OK. But what they need is hulls and guns as Chinese assets are too numerous. And they need to work with Korea more as difficult as that may be.

    Ice strengthened hulls and fast hulls too.

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