The Japan Coast Guard announced on Aug. 26 that it conducted a joint training exercise with the Maritime Self-Defense Force in the East China Sea near Kyushu. The training involved maritime rescue operations and takeoff/landing exercises by helicopters belonging to the participating vessels. This was the 20th time for the JCG and MSDF to hold the joint training, which has taken place regularly since 1999.

According to the JCG, the training exercise was held on Aug. 25 and involved the patrol vessels Shikishima and Ukeyuri of the 10th Regional Coast Guard Headquarters (Kagoshima) and the MSDF destroyer Suzutsuki.

The JCG had also conducted a joint exercise with U.S. Coast Guard in the East China Sea off the coast of Nagasaki on Aug. 24 and 25, during which they confirmed operations for covertly chasing and halting suspicious ships.