Arya News - This marks the first time Japan has elected to skip the North Pacific Coast Guard Forum (NPCGF) since its inaugural meeting in 2000.
TOKYO – The Japan Coast Guard did not attend the North Pacific Coast Guard Forum (NPCGF), which was held in Russia from late September to early October, due to the deterioration of Japan-Russia relations and other factors, government sources said.
This marks the first time Japan has elected to skip the forum since its inaugural meeting in 2000.
The JCG has historically taken the lead in coordinating with other nations at the NPCGF on ensuring safety and preserving the environment in the North Pacific, and concerns about the impact of its decision has been raised within the organization.
The NPCGF is a high-level meeting of the heads of maritime safety agencies from six countries: the United States, China, Russia, South Korea, Canada and Japan. Following the inaugural meeting, which was held in Tokyo at the JCG’s initiative, the annual forum has been hosted on a rotating basis by each participating country.
According to the sources, the JCG intended to attend the forum and took part in a working-level meeting in April.
However, in light of the fact that the United States and Canada were considering not participating, as well as Russian President Vladimir Putin visiting Etorofu Island in the northern territories in August for the first time, the decision was made within the government to skip the meeting.
According to a statement from the Russian side, Russia, China and South Korea attended the meeting, which was held from Sept. 28 to Oct. 2 in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Sakhalin Oblast, in the Russian Far East.
At the NPCGF, participating nations share information on maritime crimes — such as illegal fishing vessels and drug trafficking — that occurred within their respective exclusive economic zones. They also discuss emergency response measures, including how to handle accidents involving ships using next-generation fuels such as hydrogen.
In 2012, the year Japan nationalized the Senkaku Islands in Okinawa Prefecture, China unilaterally canceled the meeting it was set to host.
“We have built a practical cooperative relationship separate from international political circumstances,” said a JCG official. “This was a difficult decision.”