A Japan Coast Guard patrol vessel (foreground) sails alongside a China Coast Guard ship. (Photo courtesy of the Japan Coast Guard)
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On December 29, Chinese government vessels broke the record for the third consecutive year, spending the most days operating in the contiguous zone around the Senkaku Islands. These Chinese vessels are active almost daily, pausing only during severe weather. In response, the Japan Coast Guard (JCG) continues to deploy patrol ships, resulting in a standoff that has become routine.
Now, faced with China's increasingly armed and larger vessels, the JCG is also urgently enhancing its capabilities. JCG's new plans include commissioning the largest patrol vessel in its history.
Countering an Aggressive China
China's aggressive actions near the Senkaku Islands stem from more than ambitions for seabed resources. The waters around the islands, like Taiwan, are seen as key strategic strongholds for asserting territorial claims. By its aggression, China seeks to counter Japan and its ally, the United States and gain regional maritime dominance.
The territorial waters surrounding the Senkaku Islands span 4,740 square kilometers. To patrol this vast area, the Japan Coast Guard (JCG) has stationed ten 1,000-ton patrol vessels on Ishigaki Island. It also has two helicopter-equipped patrol vessels on Okinawa's main island. Approximately 600 dedicated JCG personnel work tirelessly, maintaining a 24-hour watch to protect Japan's territorial waters.
Since the nationalization of the Senkaku Islands in 2012, Chinese government vessels have routinely intruded into Japanese territorial waters. Such incidents have sharply increased since December 2015, including cases involving armed Chinese ships.
In recent years, China has rapidly expanded its fleet's size and capabilities. According to publicly available data, the JCG estimates that as of the end of 2023, the China Coast Guard operated 159 vessels in the 1,000-ton class. That is more than twice the JCG's 75 vessels in the same category. Government sources attribute China's expansion in part to the conversion of decommissioned warships, some of which are equipped with guns as large as 76mm.
Strengthening the Japan Coast Guard
In response, the JCG plans a significant fleet expansion under the 2022 Cabinet-approved policy on strengthening Japan Coast Guard capabilities. Its plans include unmanned aircraft. Moreover, in August the JCG announced the construction of a 30,000-ton ultra-large patrol vessel, the largest in its history. This new vessel will be over four times the size of the JCG's largest existing ships.
In September, Japan completed the nation's largest ship refueling facility on Nanatsujima Island in Kagoshima City. Joint exercises, such as Japan-US-South Korea and Japan-US-Philippines drills, have also strengthened cooperation to counter China's increasing hegemonic activities in the East and South China Seas.
Chinese government vessels repeatedly infringe on Japan's sovereignty by entering waters around the Senkaku Islands. Their goal is to establish a fait accompli and flaunt their brazenness internationally. A senior JCG official stated, "We will not yield an inch in achieving a free and open maritime order based on the rule of law."
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Author: Kenta Shiraiwa
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