According to Taiwanese media, the joint search and rescue drill was conducted in the waters south of the Boso Peninsula in Japan’s Chiba Prefecture. This marks the first time that Taiwanese and Japanese coast guards have conducted a joint exercise since Japan ceased recognizing Taiwan’s ruling authority, the Republic of China (ROC), as the legal government of China in 1972. The drill was arranged under a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association and the Taiwan-Japan Relations Association in 2017.
Although it is widely believed that China’s coercive actions in the East and South China Seas have led to deeper cooperation between Japan and Taiwan, Japan’s top government spokesman stated that the drill was not conducted with any third country, such as China, in mind.
Within the scope of the exercise, Taiwan’s Hsun Hu class patrol vessel, Hsun Hu No. 9, participated in a search, rescue, and communication drill with Japan’s Tsugaru class patrol vessel, Sagami (PLH-03). According to The Yomiuri Shimbun, the drill aimed to improve the interoperability of the two coast guards by practicing information sharing and coordinating search areas. The name “Hsun Hu” means “patrol and protect” in Taiwanese Mandarin.
Previous cases of Taiwan-Japan Coast Guard coordination
For decades, since the 1970s, Taiwanese and Japanese coast guards have been known to engage in confrontations involving water cannons, targeting each other’s vessels or civilian fishing boats in the waters near the Senkaku Islands. These islands, controlled by Japan, are also known as the Diaoyutai Islands and are claimed by both Taiwan and China. The disputes are partly fueled by the potential oil reserves in the area.
Despite the lack of official relations and ongoing sovereignty disputes, cooperation between Taiwan and Japan continues. Although rarely publicized or mentioned in Taiwan, there have been instances of collaboration between the two sides.
On November 9, 2010, a Panamanian cargo vessel went missing southwest of Japan’s Iriomote-jima island. In response, the Japan Coast Guard, the Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), the Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF), and the Taiwanese Coast Guard deployed maritime patrol aircraft, search and rescue helicopters, and patrol vessels to conduct the search and rescue operation.
On November 11, Taiwanese and Japanese coast guard vessels rescued three injured Chinese crew members from the missing cargo vessel. Subsequently, a JASDF paramedic boarded the Taiwanese and Japanese patrol vessels to assist with the transfer of the injured crew to Ishigaki-jima island in Japan’s Okinawa Prefecture. The transfer was carried out using a JASDF UH-60J SAR helicopter.
On August 8, 2023, the Taiwan Coast Guard patrol vessel Hsun Hu No. 8 was observed making a refueling stop in Tokyo Bay. This stop followed the vessel’s completion of a patrol mission to protect fisheries on the high seas and to evade an approaching typhoon.
About Taiwan’s Hsun Hu class patrol vessel
Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration fields 3 Hsun Hu class patrol vessels in its fleet: Hsun Hu No. 7, No. 8 and No. 9. The vessels were commissioned between 2010 and 2013. The class has a displacement of about 1,900 ton, a maximum speed of 20 knots, featuring water cannons, 20mm gun, 12.7mm heavy machine guns, and 5.56mm machine guns.