Japan Coast Guard plans to introduce unmanned maritime equipment

According to a report by Reference News Network on September 1, the Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun reported on August 30 that against the backdrop of increasingly severe labor shortages, the Japanese government is accelerating the introduction of drones and unmanned vessels by the Japan Coast Guard to maintain and strengthen its patrol and surveillance capabilities in the surrounding maritime areas. On the 27th, the Japan Coast Guard announced its preliminary budget request for fiscal year 2027, listing this initiative as a "requested project." The total amount requested in this budget submission reaches 344.8 billion yen (approximately 2.2 billion USD), setting a historical record.

According to reports, the Japan Coast Guard has deployed five "Sea Guardian" large drones based at Kitakyushu Airport, responsible for maritime security tasks across Japan. According to government sources, there are plans to introduce small drones in the future for surveillance in coastal waters near the homeland. Additionally, a proposal has been made to replace helicopters with drones on some patrol vessels equipped with helicopters.

For maritime areas far from the homeland, the Japanese government is considering the use of unmanned patrol vessels.

Reports indicate that the introduction of drones and unmanned vessels is driven by the Japan Coast Guard's long-standing issue of personnel shortages. In the fiscal year 2024, the number of personnel leaving the agency for personal reasons reached 389, and the gap between the authorized strength and actual personnel exceeded 600 for the first time. (Translation/Chen Rui)