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Japan has reportedly deployed a coast guard drone, acquired from its key security ally the United States, amid China’s growing maritime presence around disputed islands in the East China Sea. These uninhabited islets, known as the Senkaku Islands in Japan and the Diaoyu Islands in China, are administered by Japan but claimed by China.
According to reports, the Japan Coast Guard has deployed the MQ-9B SeaGuardian drone developed by U.S. defense contractor General Atomics Aeronautical Systems around the Senkaku Islands since April 2023. The drone is being used to monitor Chinese coast guard vessels and demonstrate Japan’s resolve not to tolerate unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the East China Sea.
The deployment of the MQ-9B SeaGuardian appears intended to issue “aerial warnings” to Chinese ships to avoid entering Japanese territorial waters, which extend 13.8 miles from the coastline. The drone can fly continuously for over 30 hours and is designed to provide persistent maritime domain awareness, helping protect Japan’s territorial waters around the Senkaku Islands.
In service with the Japan Coast Guard are three SeaGuardian drones. An additional two are set to join the fleet during the fiscal year through March 2026. As of April 1, 2023, the coast guard operates 147 patrol vessels, 35 planes, and 60 helicopters.
The Japan Coast Guard’s report states, “The [China Coast Guard] vessels are confirmed to have become larger, armed, and reinforced, so the situation concerning around Senkaku Islands has become increasingly serious.”
In response, China maintains a steady presence of coast guard vessels around the Senkaku Islands, often armed with autocannons. It operates the world’s largest maritime law enforcement fleet, with over 150 vessels displacing more than 1,000 tons.
The Senkaku Islands are part of Japan’s southwestern islands and lie along the First Island Chain under a U.S. containment strategy aimed at restricting China’s military activity in the event of war.
China asserts sovereignty over the Diaoyu Islands, stating that “Diaoyu [Island] is China’s inherent territory in all historical, geographical and legal terms.”
Japan’s coast guard presence around the Senkaku Islands and in the East China Sea will likely continue to be a focal point for regional tensions.
