Safeguarding Swims With The Japan Coast Guard
Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California. The Japan Coast Guard (or JCG or 海上保安庁) in Japanese, was formerly called the Maritime Safety Agency when it was founded in 1948. The JCG is the Japanese federal agency that employs about 12,000 personnel for the protection of Japanese waters and coastlines.
The Japan Coast Guard remains under the oversight of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.
Its ships and personnel patrol Japan’s territorial seas and between 12 – 200 nautical miles out from the shore to provide countermeasures against piracy, maritime conflict, illegal operations as well as provide search and rescue, oceanographic surveying and maritime traffic management.
The Japan Coast Guard also works with local fishermen’s unions and reviews and approves solo and relay crossings of the Tsugaru Channel by swimmers attempting swims under the auspices of the Tsugaru Channel Swimming Association and Ocean-navi.
“We started working with the Japan Coast Guard back in 1988 on channel swims and marathon swims in Japan. Since that time, Commander Matsuzaki and subsequent Coast Guard teams all over Japan from Yonaguni Island in Okinawa to the Tsugaru Channel on the shores of Hokkaido were extremely helpful in planning swims around Japan,” explains Steven Munatones who works with Masayuki Moriya of Ocean-navi and Yuko Matsuzaki of the Tsugaru Channel Swimming Association. “The Japan Coast Guard personnel’s knowledge of the local waters, conditions, currents and marine life are extraordinary. With a typical Japanese focus on details, careful planning and deep concern for the welfare of swimmers, they have been a tremendous joy to work with over the years.”
Copyright © 2014 by World Open Water Swimming Association
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.
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