TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Taiwan and Japan on Thursday (July 18) conducted their first joint coast guard rescue exercises since ending diplomatic relations in 1972.

The drills near the Boso Peninsula in Chiba Prefecture focused on search and rescue operations. Cooperation with neighboring countries served to improve the efficiency of coast guard work and should not be blocked or interfered with, Ocean Affairs Council (OAC) Minister Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲) said Saturday (July 20).

She said international cooperation and joint exercises should protect the safety of people from any nationality, Radio Taiwan International reported. Since both countries were close to each other, it made sense for Taiwan and Japan to cooperate on making humanitarian efforts more effective, Kuan said.

The minister gave the example of the Suao-registered fishing trawler Ta Sheng Yi, which lost engine power northeast of Taiwan on May 8. As it was drifting toward Japanese territory, the Japan Coast Guard analyzed winds and currents to intercept the ship to prevent it from running aground. 

A Japanese ship guided the fishing vessel to an area where Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration (CGA) could take over and accompany it safely to port.