China Coast Guard (CCG) ships have been traversing the territorial waters surrounding the Senkaku Islands in Ishigaki, located in Japan’s Okinawa Prefecture, since March. Reports from The Japan Times, citing sources from the Japan Coast Guard (JCG), indicate that these vessels are utilizing automatic identification system (AIS) equipment to signal their presence.
The Japan Coast Guard holds a cautious stance toward these vessels, as they suspect that China aims to reinforce its claims to the international community, with the ultimate goal of gaining control over the islands. This information was shared in a report by Yomiuri Shimbun published in The Japan Times.
According to sources connected to the JCG, China Coast Guard ships have been actively employing AIS devices within the territorial waters and contiguous zone since March. Typically, CCG vessels operate in groups of four. On May 16, one such vessel bearing the identification number “1302” entered the contiguous zone.
The vessel in question appeared to navigate around Uotsuri Island and Kuba Island, subsequently breaching Japan’s territorial waters on May 20 and 21. As reported, the Chinese vessel within the territorial waters seemed to be monitoring the movements of a Japanese fishing vessel.
Data from the marine traffic website reveals that the vessel displayed irregular changes in direction within the waters southeast of Minami-Kojima Island. In contrast, the Japanese Coast Guard patrol vessels that urged the Chinese ships to depart the area did not activate their AIS equipment, as reported by The Japan Times.
Previously, Chinese government vessels had transmitted AIS information. However, the system was deactivated in 2018 when the China Coast Guard came under the command of the armed police force, according to The Japan Times.
An automatic identification system is a radio device that automatically transmits and receives information regarding a vessel’s position, course, speed, and other relevant details, as reported by The Japan Times.
Based on the news report, it is stipulated by the international convention for the safety of life at sea that all passenger ships and other vessels engaged in international voyages are required to carry this equipment. Radio transmissions are received by surrounding vessels and contribute to the facilitation of safe navigation within heavily trafficked maritime areas.
In earlier incidents that occurred in March, two Chinese vessels entered Japan’s territorial waters near the Senkaku Islands while pursuing two Japanese fishing boats in the East China Sea, according to Japan’s NHK World. These two Chinese ships reportedly entered the territorial waters off Taisho Island between 4:20 and 4:50 a.m. local time on Friday.
Coast guard officials stated that these ships, along with two other Chinese ships, had been cruising in the contiguous area just outside Japan’s territorial waters. NHK World also reported that the same Chinese ships entered Japanese waters on Thursday.
On Thursday, the three Chinese ships ventured into the territorial waters near Uotsuri Island, seemingly in pursuit of Japanese fishing vessels. According to the news report, these ships remained within Japanese waters for nearly 17 hours. To safeguard the fishing boats and issue a warning for the Chinese vessels to promptly exit Japan’s territorial waters, the Japanese coast guard deployed patrol boats.