Photo/Illutration Masahiro Ichijo who heads the No. 11 Regional Maritime Safety Headquarters during an interview with The Asahi Shimbun on March 23 (Taro Ono)

NAHA--A top Japan Coast Guard official said he is taking a cautious stance toward proponents who support beefing up the Coast Guard’s role beyond a maritime law enforcement force.

Masahiro Ichijo, 60, who heads the No. 11 Regional Maritime Safety Headquarters, said in an interview with The Asahi Shimbun that it “is important to keep the score even” with Chinese Coast Guard vessels in terms of security activities.

Ichijo’s headquarters has jurisdiction over Okinawa Prefecture and the disputed Senkaku Islands.

Ichijo will retire at the end of March.

He also said it is important for the Japan Coast Guard, as a maritime law enforcement organization, to play a role as a buffer for neighboring countries, differing from the Self-Defense Forces’ role.

Article 80 of the Self-Defense Forces Law said the JCG “can be placed under the defense minister” in an emergency situation.

The central government is expected to create a control mechanism to do so.

Ichijo said, “We have already conducted joint exercises and shared intelligence, but it is important to have a control mechanism, which will make the most appropriate role-sharing in the event of an emergency.”

Some have urged the revision of Article 25 of the Japan Coast Guard Law to expand the JCG’s duties and capabilities. 

But Ichijo said he has adopted a cautious approach from the standpoint of the JCG’s equipment and maritime law enforcement capabilities as well as from a diplomatic viewpoint.

Regarding the JCG’s equipment and law enforcement capabilities, Ichijo said the JCG vessels are equipped with guns with a diameter up to 40 millimeters.

They would be used to stop a fleeing vessel and not for the purpose of fighting, Ichijo said.

On the other hand, the SDF “is an organization for fighting and its equipment could be used to sink a vessel.”

“If the JCG is allowed to have such an ability, it will exceed the maritime law enforcement duties. Also, it will require a considerable degree of budgets and time to replace the current weapons and conduct training,” he said.

Regarding the diplomatic viewpoint, Ichijo said the JCG as a nonmilitary organization has played a role as a buffer to prevent a war from breaking out even when Japan’s ties with other countries are strained.

“Japan has worked cooperatively for countries in Southeast Asia, which used to have a military only, to build a coast guard. But what would they do if Japan revises Article 25?” Ichijo said.

“JCG’s on-site point of view is that it is not a matter of winning or losing but it is important to keep any encounter to a draw,” he said.

Ichijo said, “Some are concerned that the Chinese vessels are equipped with larger guns and Japan is behind in terms of weaponry. But with strategies and the ability of our staff, we are fully able to cover it. Comprehensively speaking, I think we can handle it under existing circumstances.”

(This article was written by Takashi Watanabe and Taro Ono.)

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