Defense & Security

SDF, JCG Conduct Joint Training for Attack Response

Yomiuri Shimbun file photo
Maritime Self-Defense Force and Japan Coast Guard personnel conduct a combined exercise to evacuate injured personnel from a patrol ship on May 16 at the MSDF’s Yokosuka base.

The Yomiuri Shimbun

14:39 JST, June 1, 2023

The Self-Defense Forces and the Japan Coast Guard on Tuesday conducted their first joint tabletop exercise, assuming an “armed attack situation,” the Defense Ministry announced Wednesday.

The exercise took place at the Defense Ministry in Ichigaya, Tokyo, with the participation of the Joint Staff Office, the Self-Defense Fleet Command and the 3rd Regional Coast Guard Headquarters. Several dozen personnel were involved in the training.

Under the supervision of the defense minister, the exercise focused on verifying procedures such as the coast guard’s evacuation of residents using patrol ships and providing information to vessels in dangerous areas.

In April, the government established new guidelines aimed at clarifying the division of roles between the SDF and the JCG during emergencies. These guidelines outline procedures for placing the JCG commandant under the command of the defense minister.