Japan Coast Guard Hosts SE Asian Officials on Training Flight, Sharing Skills for Tracking Suspicious Vessels

By Nobuteru Sakuda / Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondent

15:11 JST, February 21, 2026

JAKARTA — Coast guard officials from Southeast Asian nations have received hands-on training from the Japan Coast Guard in waters north of Jakarta, focusing on aerial surveillance techniques to monitor suspicious vessels.

Ten maritime officials from Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia joined a flight Thursday aboard a Japan Coast Guard aircraft dispatched for the training session, according to the JCG.

During the flight, JCG instructors explained procedures for using radar and infrared cameras to monitor and track suspicious vessels.

Boosting the maritime security capabilities of Southeast Asian nations is expected to help ensure the safety of sea lanes vital to Japan, including the Strait of Malacca.

“Through these activities, we hope to work toward realizing a free and open Indo-Pacific,” said Toru Takahashi, deputy director general of the Japan Coast Guard.