40% of Japan Coast Guard vessels operating past service life

Nearly 40 percent of 386 Japan Coast Guard vessels dispatched for rescue and patrol operations are sailing beyond their service life of 20 to 25 years, The Asahi Shimbun has learned.

Some ships have fallen into such a state of disrepair that they became temporarily disabled while they were in operation, while others underwent repair work to extend their service life.

The agency's predicament is brought about by its patrol duties in the contiguous zone near the disputed Senkaku Islands in Okinawa Prefecture, for which the Coast Guard prioritizes its budget, in addition to labor shortages in the country, according to the JCG.

As of the end of March 2025, the Coast Guard has 147 midsize and large patrol vessels operating in wide sea areas and 239 small patrol boats covering ports and coastal areas.The vessels have a service life based on corrosion, metal fatigue and other factors.In principle, patrol ships have an operational life of 25 years, while that of patrol boats is between 20 and 25 years.According to the agency, 34 patrol ships (23 percent of all the patrol ships) and 107 patrol boats (45 percent of all the patrol boats), or 141 in total (37 percent), are past their service life.

Operating beyond that maximum timetable means more malfunctions and more time needed for repairs.According to a government source, the helicopter-carrying patrol ship Uruma broke down and became temporarily crippled while it was in operation in January 2021. 

According to the Coast Guard, in one case, the crane used to lift and lower smaller boats on board a patrol ship became inoperative after hydraulic oil pipes developed holes. In another instance, the electronic display used to warn illegally operating vessels partially stopped working.A Coast Guard officer said it is common to see pipes develop holes on older vessels. 

A high-ranking member added, "It is not ideal to go on a mission on a ship at risk of malfunctions, and concerns remain about whether we can do our best and perform our duties in any front-line operation."

One of the underlying reasons why the Coast Guard is struggling to update its fleet is that the agency's scope of operation has expanded. 

In 1977, Japan's territorial waters expanded from 3 to 12 nautical miles while its fishery jurisdiction was extended to 200 nautical miles.Because the Coast Guard made a concentrated effort to build patrol ships during the 1980s, more than 100 vessels were scheduled for replacement all at once in the 2000s, making it difficult for the agency to keep up with budgetary needs.Furthermore, after Japan nationalized the disputed Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, China Coast Guard ships increased their activities in the surrounding waters. 

To maintain its upper hand over the Chinese side on the front line, the JCG has prioritized its budget to construct cutting-edge patrol ships and other equipment while it postpones replacing other vessels. 

Based on the policy on strengthening maritime security capabilities, which was compiled in 2022, the JCG's budget increases by about 20 billion yen ($130 million) each fiscal year.The agency allocated about 16.8 billion yen from its budget of 358.4 billion yen for the current fiscal year, including a supplementary budget, for expenses to replace ships.But the amount falls short of what is needed to replace one patrol ship, which is about 20 billion yen.

Labor shortages at shipyards in the country are also another reason.As the JCG faces competition from private companies to have its vessels built and repaired, it is unable to procure ships on desired schedules.

While operating patrol vessels beyond their service life has become the norm, the JCG operates its ships in a manner that prevents old ones from being deployed in the same sea area at one time.

An official said that the JCG's security and rescue system remains unaffected."We will consider the number of vessels required for replacement in a comprehensive manner in light of the number of newly built patrol ships and their deployment areas," the official said.

Source : the Asahi shinbum       YUJI MASUYAMA