Japan Coast Guard
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Japan Coast Guard (海上保安庁 Kaijō Ho'an-chō?), also known as the Maritime Safety Agency, is the Japanese Coast Guard. Comprised of about 12,000 personnel, it is under the oversight of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and is responsible for protecting the coast lines of Japan. It was founded in 1949.
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[edit] Overview
The duties of the JCG include:
- Search and rescue
- Hydrographic and oceangraphic surveying
- Maritime traffic management
[edit] Command
The JCG is lead by Commandant Ishikawa Hiroki and 2 vice commanders. Lower ranking officers are director general, directors and inspector generals. The JCG is divided into departments:
- Administration
- Equipment and Technology
- Hydrographic and Oceangraphic
- Maritime Traffic
The Japan Coast Guard Academy is a university established within the Coast Guard for the purpose of training students to become officers. It is located in Kure, Hiroshima prefecture.
Additionally, the JCG has two special forces units: the Special Security Team (SST) (Japanese: 特殊警備隊; Tokushu Keibi Tai) and the Special Rescue Team (SRT) (Japanese: 特殊救難隊; Tokushu Kyunan Tai).
[edit] History
Founded in 1948 as the Maritime Safety Agency of Japan, its English name was changed to Japan Coast Guard in 2000.
In 2001, JCG ships intercepted a Chinese(PRC)-flagged vessel believed to be North Korean in origin, in the Japanese EEZ between Kyushu and China. When the vessel failed to respond, she was fired upon by the JCG and an exchange of gunfire resulted, with the unidentified vessel sinking in the Chinese EEZ with all hands.[1] The ship was later salvaged by the JCG, and found to have been carrying weapons and spy equipment.[2] The wreck and its contents were put on display at the Japanese Coast Guard Museum at Yokohama.[3]
[edit] Fleet
see List of Japan Coast Guard vessels and aircraft.
[edit] External links
- Japan Coast Guard. Official website. Retrieved on May 14, 2006.
- http://www.kaiho.mlit.go.jp/index.html (Japanese)
- Japan Coast Guard Academy. Official website. Retrieved on May 14, 2006.
- UMIZARU (The Sea Monkey) is a 2004 Japanese film related to the JCG. Official website. Retrieved on May 14, 2006.
| North: Republic of Korea Coast Guard | ||
| West: PLAN Coast Guard | Japan Coast Guard | East: United States Coast Guard |
| South: Philippine Coast Guard Republic of China Coast Guard Hong Kong Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre |
