VARIOUS: Japan's Coast Guard get boost to recruit as spats over disputed islands between Japan, China and South Korea.

Record ID: 466736

  • Title: VARIOUS: Japan's Coast Guard get boost to recruit as spats over disputed islands between Japan, China and South Korea.
  • Date: 20th November 2012
  • Summary: KISARAZU, CHIBA PREFECTURE, JAPAN (NOVEMBER 19, 2012) (REUTERS) JAPANESE COAST GUARD BOAT COAST GUARD MEMBER ON BOAT ROPE AND COAST GUARD MEMBER PULLING ON ROPE COAST GUARD MEMBERS CASTING OFF ROPE MORE OF MEMBERS CASTING OFF ROPE MORE OF CREW CASTING OFF ROPES BOAT PULLING AWAY MORE OF BOAT PULLING AWAY AT SEA (NOVEMBER 19, 2012) (REUTERS) CREW AND CAPTAIN TADAHIRO IZAWA INSTRUCTING NEW HIRE SHOUKI OOBA IZAWA AND OOBA DRIVING BOAT MORE OF IZAWA AND OOBA DRIVING BOAT (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) 21-YEAR-OLD NEW RECRUIT SHOUKI OOBA SAYING: "If you think about the reason why, then I guess you could say that because of all the problems I learned about the Coast Guard. While not the direct cause, I think it did influence me somewhat," JAPANESE FLAG (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) 21-YEAR-OLD NEW RECRUIT SHOUKI OOBA SAYING: "I hear from other people that there's not enough people in the Coast Guard, so I think that there is indeed benefits to having more people." OOBA WALKING OUT OOBA TALKING TO BOAT BOAT OWNER SHOWING LIFE JACKETS (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) CAPTAIN AND MENTOR 43-YEAR-OLD TADAHIRO IZAWA SAYING: "There's alot of talk about the Senkaku islands in the news, and currently the whole of Japan's oceans are watched by 12,000 Coast Guard members. There's indeed people who say there's not enough. And indeed, if there were more people, it would indeed be very helpful." IZAWA'S HAT THAT READS IN ENGLISH "JAPAN COAST GUARD" (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) CAPTAIN AND MENTOR 43-YEAR-OLD TADAHIRO IZAWA SAYING: "While there may be parts that seem cool, actually working out on the scene is quite tough. But I do think that there is quite a sense of accomplishment when one can overcome those difficulties." OOBA DRIVING BOAT VARIOUS OF OOBA DRIVING BOAT KISARAZU, CHIBA PREFECTURE, JAPAN (NOVEMBER 19, 2012) (REUTERS) COAST GUARD BOAT DRIVING AROUND MORE OF COAST GUARD BOAT
  • Embargoed: 5th December 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Japan
  • Country: Japan
  • Topics: International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAE398CZY7BDXZOLUEMVDT8SY0W
  • Story Text: While Japan's recent spats with China over territorial issues have caused troubles for Japan's government and stability in the region, it may have one unexpected and indirect beneficiary.
    Compared to last year, Japan's coast guard has seen a doubling of possible recruits in its April to April period, with 3,064 applicants in 2011 compared to 7,708 this year.
    That rose to 8,358 in October, the following recruiting season -- a 14 percent year-on-year gain from the same period the previous year.
    And this trend seems to have been on the rise since the first major clashes on the East China Sea with China in 2010.
    Twenty-one-year-old Shouki Ooba is a recent recruit who says news of the conflicts on the East China Sea had something to do with his enrollment to become a Coast Guard.
    "If you think about the reason why, then I guess you could say that because of all the problems I learned about the Coast Guard. While not the direct cause, I think it did influence me somewhat," Ooba told Reuters, adding that the prime reason for his joining was his sense of justice and need to help others.
    Ooba joined a year after Sino-Japanese relations had plunged into the freezer when a Chinese fishing boat and Japanese Coast Guard vessel ran into each other near the disputed islands.
    The individual Coast Guard who leaked video of the clash on the high seas faced charges of violating the secrecy act of public servants and was suspended before leaving the Coast Guard. But in the eyes of the public became a national hero.
    Now, after going through a year of schooling to learn the basics required to join the service, Ooba is now getting his sea legs aboard a 24-ton 5-person patrol boat that monitors Tokyo harbour.
    Despite the influx of new recruits though, Ooba recognises they still need all the help they could get patrolling the world's sixth largest maritime territory.
    "I hear from other people that there's not enough people in the Coast Guard, so I think that there is indeed benefits to having more people," Ooba said.
    Ooba's mentor on the boat, Captain Tadahiro Izawa says that while the disputed island issue has grabbed the headlines, Japan still needs to watch over more than 4.4 million square kilometers of seas Japan rules over.
    "There's alot of talk about the Senkaku islands in the news, and currently the whole of Japan's oceans are watched by 12,000 Coast Guard members. There's indeed people who say there's not enough. And indeed, if there were more people, it would indeed be very helpful," Izawa said.
    Izawa warned however that while what many people see is just the excitement of patrols in the news or see the Coast Guard portrayed in movies in Japan, it's not all fun and games.
    "While there may be parts that seem cool, actually working out on the scene is quite tough. But I do think that there is quite a sense of accomplishment when one can overcome those difficulties," Izawa said.
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