Page 55: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (November 2018)

Could you please tell us the history national security threats immediately, steadily, while carefully examining the in April 2018 and promote the integration upgrade its Marine Domain Awareness priorities of implementation. and public dissemination of information and future development of the (MDA) capability. The JGC will, in ac- Meanwhile, JCG will continue to en- on activities at sea. Development of mod-

Japan Coast Guard (JCG)?

The JCG, in 2018 celebrates the 70th cordance with these policies, continue to hance the safety at sea in accordance ern technologies including the VHF Data anniversary of its foundation. When it work to keep up with changes of the time, with the ‘4th Marine Traf? c Vision’, the Exchanging System (VDES), will also be was founded, the Japanese waters were and reinforce its systems and capabilities maritime traf? c safety policy formulated continued. in an eclipse period. Lighthouses were destroyed during World War II, while many ships that had been sunk with sea mines were left unsalvaged. Numerous maritime crimes including Illegal migra- tion and smuggling had been commit- ted everywhere. In such times, the JCG set about on a mission of reconstructing

Japan. All service members have since started to work together to tackle those issues which attracted national and inter- national attentions.

The world is in the midst of turbulent times now, as represented by drastic changes in international political envi- ronment, increasingly serious natural disasters and among others, the develop- ments of situations in North Korea. As such, Japanese territorial waters have been subjected to ever dif? cult situations.

Under such circumstances though, the

JCG is determined to continue to work restlessly to appropriately address these situations and hand over a safe and or- derly ocean to future generations.

Could you please tell us what the

JCG is focusing on now?

The environment surrounding Japanese territorial waters is becoming ever more of a challenge with, among others, Chi- nese Government ships invading the sea areas of Senkaku Islands, North Korean illegal ? shing vessels operating around

Yamato Bank in the Sea of Japan and numerous wooden boats which are be- lieved to come from Korean Peninsula ® ® drifting and casting ashore. To deal with such issues appropriately, it is urgently needed to enhance three capacities of the

Passage Planning

JCG. They are; maritime law enforce- ment, maritime situational awareness

Our Passage Planning software module eliminates hours of administrative and oceanographic research capabilities. workload for the navigators, and makes it easier to create safe, compliant

As such, the Governmental Policy was and accurate Passage Plan documentation.

approved in December 2016 by the Min- isterial Council to strengthen the service capabilities of Japan Coast Guard. In De- cember 2017, the Council further agreed that the promotion of the JCG service capabilities enhancement be continued and con? rmed that it is necessary to fos- ter international cooperation to maintain free and open maritime order based on the rule of law.

The 3rd Basic Plan on Ocean Policy ap- proved in May 2018 by Prime Minister

Shinzo Abe’s Cabinet explicitly stipu- lates that Japan will constantly strength- en the Coast Guard system and, to detect *Source6IWIEVGL?RHMRKWJVSQ)2%&0)7 www.navtor.com www.marinelink.com 55

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