SURVEILLANCE WATCH:Japanese Coast Guard begins operating ship identification system worldwide

TOKYO-The Japan Coast Guard on Wednesday began operating a system that can locate and identify Japanese ships on international voyages as a way to enhance the safety and security of their navigation around the world.The introduction of the system is required under the 2006 amendment to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea,of which Japan is a signatory.The United States proposed navigation safety measures be introduced internationally after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the country in 2001.A total of about 160 signatory countries are eventually expected to operate the system, with only seven countries like Japan, the United States and South Korea having built the system for their vessels.A ship to be monitored under the system is required to install a transmission device that sends its identity, location and other information to the Japan Coast Guard's computer system every six hours.Ship information obtained via the system is shared among the participating countries for use in security, and search and rescue activities, according to the convention's amendment.Vessels subject to monitoring are internationally operating Japanese passenger ships and cargo ships weighing at least 300 tons.About 250 ships fall into this category. Previously, the Japan Coast Guard was capable of locating and identifying only ships that were navigating off Japan's coast.Now it can locate Japanese-registered ships anywhere in the world and foreign-registered ships navigating within a distance not exceeding 1,000 nautical miles of Japan's coast.
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As in the days of Noah...