6:00 JST, April 21, 2024
Japan’s coast guard has established a new group to help Pacific island nations improve their maritime security capabilities, with moves from China in mind, The Yomiuri Shimbun has learned.
In recent years, China has strengthened its presence in the South Pacific, for example by concluding a security agreement with one of the countries, against the backdrop of Beijing’s economic power.
Japan wants to strengthen its support for these island states in cooperation with the United States and other countries, and guarantee maritime stability based on the rule of law, sources said.
The South Pacific is a strategic area with sea lanes connecting Australia, a major supplier of food and natural resources, with Japan and the United States. The reality is that the coast guard organizations of the fourteen island states are not sufficiently developed to cover their vast exclusive economic zones.
China, which wants to increase its maritime presence in the region, has strengthened its influence through economic support, including aid for the construction of government buildings in the island states.
China signed a security agreement with the Solomon Islands in 2022. In January this year, Nauru severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan and established diplomatic ties with China.
There is also a move toward the establishment of a Chinese naval base, which would threaten the realization of a “free and open Indo-Pacific” promoted by Japan, the United States and other countries.
In 2017, the JCG launched a then seven-member Mobile Cooperation Team (MCT) to help improve the capabilities of foreign coast guard organizations. So far, the country has provided aid to 20 countries 105 times. Depending on the wishes and actual circumstances of the aid recipient countries, it provides guidance in the areas of on-site inspections of ships, suppression and arrest techniques, maritime rescue operations and oil spill prevention.
The MCT has strengthened its support activities in Southeast Asia, where a number of coast guard organizations have been established in response to both piracy and the aggressive activities of Chinese government vessels.
Furthermore, in light of the situation in the South Pacific in recent years, the MCT was strengthened last financial year to four groups – with three members each. One of the groups was assigned to island nations in the Pacific Ocean.
The concept is for the group members to maintain daily contact with the island countries, continue to provide guidance while understanding the issues they face, and contribute to developing their maritime police personnel and improving their equipment. The activities of group members are also expected to build personal relationships of trust and thus strengthen relationships with the JCG.
In January this year, the JCG sent MCT members to Micronesia and the Marshall Islands for the first time for a week. With the help of safety vessels from the Nippon Foundation, the MCT conducted exercises to rescue people adrift at sea and, among other things, gave lectures on international law to a total of more than sixty local officials.
US and Australian officials also visited the islands to discuss close cooperation in providing aid to the island countries.
During an interview via the JCG, a senior Micronesian Maritime Police official said he would like to continue exchanging expertise and techniques, and expects well-coordinated assistance between Japan, the United States and Australia.