Senkaku Islands: Lost Mexican Canoeist Rescued from Uotsuri by JCG

On August 16, a man in his 40s landed without permission on Uotsuri Island in the Senkaku Islands. He arrived at the island by canoe and was subsequently rescued by the Japan Coast Guard (JCG). Later, the JCG headquarters in Okinawa Prefecture filed a report with prosecutors against the man, who turned out to be a Mexican national. 

Constant Surveillance

"Constant surveillance of the Senkaku Islands from both air and sea makes detection inevitable," notes Atsushi Tohyama. He is the former vice commander of maritime security at the JCG's 11th Regional Coast Guard Headquarters, which oversees the islands of Okinawa Prefecture. Tohyama also served as the commander of the JCG's 3rd Regional Coast Guard Headquarters.  

On the afternoon of August 16, a patrolling vessel discovered the man, who had landed by canoe on the eastern coast of Uotsuri Island. A helicopter then airlifted him to safety. 

According to the Coast Guard's report, it seems that the man drifted along the Kuroshio Current. Flowing between Yonaguni Island and Taiwan, the current extends towards the Senkaku Islands.

Some online commentators argue that the JCG should have used a boat to land and rescue the individual. However, as Tohyama explains, there were no suitable docking facilities on Uotsuri Island. "Using a helicopter was the safest, most reliable, and quickest method for the rescue," he says.

Efficient Rescue, Demonstrating Control

The man, who was traveling from Yonaguni Island to Taiwan, likely had no political motive for landing on the Senkakus. However, he managed to evade the surveillance of patrol boats and aircraft before beaching his canoe on the island. "Small vessels like canoes are hard to detect, particularly in low light conditions," Tohyama notes.

However, there is no fear of maritime militias disguised as fishermen occupying the islands. As Tohyama states, "A support vessel carrying amphibious landing craft will always be detectable."

China's irregular maritime militia (海上民兵) is a paramilitary fleet that operates in a covert manner. It forms a crucial part of Beijing's overall maritime strategy. This militia plays a significant role in supporting China's naval activities and asserting its presence in disputed waters.

Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessels have been operating daily in the contiguous zone outside Japan's territorial waters around the Senkaku Islands. By July, they had been patrolling for 215 days straight. They often approach and persistently track Japanese fishing boats in the area. These actions are seen as an attempt to assert sovereignty over the area.

Given these circumstances, the Coast Guard's rescue of the Mexican man on Uotsuri Island is highly significant. His prosecution for allegedly entering Japanese waters without due procedure highlights the critical importance of the JCG's response.

Effective Responses

In August 2016, following the end of the fishing ban, a surge of Chinese fishing boats converged around the Senkaku Islands. During this period, the JCG rescued six crew members from a Chinese fishing vessel. Their boat had been involved in a collision with a Greek-flagged cargo ship in the high seas northwest of the Senkakus. According to Tohyama, "The Coast Guard's response was simply a standard, routine rescue procedure."

The inability of the CCG to handle this basic response subtly underscores Japan's effective control over the Senkaku Islands. 

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• Japan's Three Territorial Problems Viewed Under the Glare of International Law
• The Senkaku Islands: What's Coming?
• Senkaku Islands Survey: Tensions in the Surrounding Waters
  
  

Read the article in Japanese.

Author: Naoki Otake