The Japan Coast Guard (JCG) has received its seventh Miyako-class large patrol vessel, JCG Hiroshima (PL-207), from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI).
The handover ceremony took place at MHI’s facility in Tamano, Okayama Prefecture, with JCG Deputy Director General Wataru Sasaki and representatives from the shipbuilder in attendance.
Following its commissioning, the vessel will operate under the Hiroshima Coast Guard Office, part of the JCG’s 6th Regional Coast Guard Headquarters. Its missions will include territorial security, maritime safety and rescue operations, and the protection of marine resources.
Miyako-Class Program to Reach 11 Vessels
Japan launched the Miyako-class patrol vessel program in 2016, with the current procurement plan covering 11 ships.
The program was initiated amid increased Chinese maritime activity around the disputed Senkaku Islands, an uninhabited group of islands west of Okinawa. The approximately 7-square-kilometer (3-square-mile) territory is administered by Japan and also claimed by China and Taiwan.
Of the vessels ordered under the program, PL-207 is the sixth Miyako-class ship constructed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
Miyako-Class Patrol Vessel Capabilities
The Miyako-class vessel measures approximately 117 meters (384 feet) in length and has a beam of 15 meters (49 feet). The ship can accommodate an estimated 40–50 personnel and is capable of operating a maritime helicopter.
Propulsion is provided by four Yanmar 8EY33W diesel engines, each rated at 6,000 horsepower. The system enables the vessel to achieve speeds exceeding 25 knots (46 km/h or 29 mph).
The Miyako class is also designed to provide greater operational endurance than the preceding Shikishima-class vessels, with a reported range of up to 20,000 nautical miles (37,040 km or 23,016 miles).
For maritime security missions, the vessel is equipped with two 40mm naval guns, remotely operated water cannons, and an intelligence-gathering suite.
