From 3 June (Sat.) to 7 June (Wed.) 2023, the Japan Coast Guard (JCG) conducted its first joint trilateral exercises with the United States Coast Guard (USCG) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) off Manila Bay to strengthen cooperation and relationships. In addition, the JCG Mobile Cooperation Team (MCT) provided capacity building activity for the PCG in cooperation with the USCG.

1. Joint exercises by the three agencies
The JCG patrol vessel AKITSUSHIMA had been dispatched for anti-piracy patrols in Southeast Asia. AKITSUSHIMA joined the first Japan-U.S.-Philippine joint trilateral exercises with the USCG patrol vessel STRATTON and the PCG patrol vessel MRRV-9702 and OPV-8301 to strengthen cooperation and relationships by sharing the techniques and knowledge needed to respond to maritime incidents and accidents.

(a) On 3 June, a tabletop exercise was conducted at the PCG headquarters.
(b) On 5 June, Maneuvering drill
(c) On 6 June, SAR Exercise
(d) On 7 June, Debriefing

These exercises are part of SAPPHIRE, co-actioned by the USCG and the JCG, and this was the first time for SAPPHIRE activities to be held with the coast guard agency of a third country.
Through these efforts, the JCG will continue to strive for the realization of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) based on the rule of law, which the Japanese government is promoting.

2. MCT activities
Three members of the JCG Mobile Cooperation Team (MCT), which is a specialized unit that supports capacity-building by the JCG, were dispatched.

(a) On 4 June...
The MCT conducted an onboard exercise so that PCG personnel could learn from demonstrations and briefings/debriefings by the crew of the JCG patrol vessel AKITSUSIMA techniques for lifting and lowering small boats and for maneuvering them, including safety management related to these operations. This small boat attached to the AKITUSHIMA is the same as the small boat attached to the PCG patrol vessel MRRV-9702 provided by Japan to the PCG. These small boats are usually used to assist in the necessary patrol duties of larger vessels.
(b) After this exercise, PCG personal did the same exercise using the small boat attached to the PCG patrol vessel MRRV-9702: The small boat was lifted and lowered, and was maneuvered. On 4 June, in parallel with the activities of the MCT, the USCG staff conducted a damage control exercise for the PCG staff.
(c) From 5 to 7 June, three vessels conducted a shiprider program off Manila Bay. Through this program, the parties shared patrol operation techniques.


This event enabled mutual exchanges among the three countries (Japan, the U.S., and the Philippines), built face-to-face relationships, and shared best practices, knowledge and skills. It helped to strengthen cooperation among the three agencies.
These programs are also part of SAPPHIRE, a joint-action initiative of the USCG and the JCG. Both the JCG and the USCG were able to contribute to improvement of the PCG's coast guard capabilities.