The Maritime Self-Defense Force and the Japan Coast Guard held their first joint field drill Thursday under a scenario where Japan’s defense minister takes control of the coast guard if the country comes under armed attack, the government said.

The drill came after the government adopted its policy outline in April specifying procedures for the coast guard, under the command of the defense chief, to better facilitate cooperation with the MSDF amid China’s growing military activities in nearby waters in the East China Sea.

Under the Self-Defense Forces Law, the defense minister can take control of the non-military coast guard in case of a contingency, but there had been no regulations on the specific procedures for such a move.

When they are placed under the emergency direction of the defense chief, the coast guard will provide logistics support, such as providing information to civilian vessels and helping evacuate residents so the MSDF can focus on defense in combat areas.

Involving about 300 personnel, the MSDF destroyer Yamagiri and the coast guard patrol ship Sagami joined the exercise held for around two hours east of Izu Oshima Island in the Pacific, about 100 kilometers south of Tokyo, according to the Defense Ministry and the coast guard.

The MSDF and the JCG held their first tabletop exercise last month.

Chinese ships have repeatedly entered Japan’s territorial waters or sailed through adjacent areas in recent years, particularly in the vicinity of the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea.

China claims the Japan-controlled, uninhabited islets and calls them Diaoyu.

https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20230623/p2g/00m/0na/016000c

Category: Japan