On August 27, the Japan Coast Guard (JCG) made public its fiscal 2025 budget, in which it disclosed for the first time that it plans to build a new multi-purpose patrol ship to enhance the country’s ability to respond to disasters and emergencies.
Japanese media reports said that the total construction cost of the multi-purpose patrol ship is expected to be about 68 billion yen (about US$470 million), the Japan Coast Guard plans to invest 3.43 billion yen (about US$23.7 million) upfront in fiscal year 2025, and is expected to be completed and put into use in 2029, when it will be joint training with the Self-Defense Forces.
The Japan Coast Guard said the multi-purpose patrol ship will be the largest patrol boat ever built by the agency, with a length of 200 meters and a displacement of 30,000 tons, far exceeding the largest patrol ship currently in service by the Japan Coast Guard (about 6,500 tons). The new patrol ship will be equipped with three helicopters (two can be landed and taken off at the same time on the flight deck) and a number of rubber dinghies; in case of emergency, the ship will have space for more than 1,000 people, making it a “sea base” for security operations.
The proposed 30,000-ton multi-purpose patrol ship is expected to accommodate more crew members than a standard patrol ship, but the Japan Coast Guard has assured that the increase in numbers will not affect the ship’s operation.