July 20, 2026
TOKYO – The government plans to begin research and development of unmanned vessels for the Japan Coast Guard starting next fiscal year, in a bid to strengthen maritime surveillance around Japan, it has been learned.
These vessels will reportedly be used in combination with patrol boats and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to counter China’s increasingly aggressive maritime expansion. The government will revise its “policy on strengthening of the maritime security capabilities” as early as December — the first revision in four years — and announce measures to strengthen the JCG, including the utilization of unmanned vessels.
According to multiple sources close to the government and the ruling parties, the government plans to allocate funds for the initiative in the initial budget proposal for next fiscal year and to reflect the plan in the three security documents scheduled for revision by the end of this year.
The JCG currently operates five UAVs for aerial surveillance but they have limited flight times. If unmanned vessels are introduced, the JCG will be able to conduct surveillance in waters far from mainland Japan over longer periods.
Starting in fiscal 2027, the government will collaborate with domestic shipbuilders and others on research and development of technologies for operating unmanned vessels and for monitoring surrounding waters using cameras and radar. The government is also considering equipping these vessels with systems to forcibly stop suspicious vessels.
The International Maritime Organization is currently working to develop international rules for the safe operation of unmanned vessels, rules that are expected to take effect in January 2032. The government aims to conduct pilot tests using unmanned vessels as early as fiscal 2032, soon after the rules take effect.
The policy on strengthening maritime security capabilities was first formulated in 2022 in response to China’s aggressive maritime expansion. It focused on the security of territorial waters around the Senkaku islands in Okinawa Prefecture, but Chinese government vessels have repeatedly approached the surrounding waters and entered Japan’s territorial waters.
On July 4, the China Coast Guard announced that its ships would conduct “law-enforcement patrols” in waters east of Taiwan’s main island. In response to these developments, the government will hold a meeting of relevant Cabinet ministers as early as December to revise the policy to further strengthen Japan’s capabilities.
While the JCG’s responsibilities are expanding, they face staff shortages. The number of employees leaving before retirement is increasing partly due to the long working hours on board vessels. At the end of fiscal 2024, the JCG had 665 vacancies (the gap between the authorized strength of 14,788 personnel and the actual headcount), exceeding 600 for the first time.
The JCG plans to operate unmanned vessels in waters with relatively few ships, to deal with Chinese government vessels and conduct search and rescue operations, so that the burden on JCG personnel will be reduced.