The Japan Coast Guard (JCG) dispatched three officers including members of its Mobile Cooperation Team (MCT; a special team that provides foreign coast guard agencies with capacity building on maritime safety and security), to the Republic of Kiribati from June 19 to 26, to provide technical support to the Police Maritime Unit, Kiribati Police Service.

This activity is the first time for us to aid the Republic of Kiribati, expanding the scope of our assistance, which had previously been provided mainly to Southeast Asia countries. In addition to lectures by MCTs on United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, on-board inspections and training were conducted in cooperation with the Australian government, which has been providing the Republic of Kiribati with vessels and capacity building support.

On June 24, the JS SHIRANUI, which was deployed to the Republic of Kiribati by the Japan maritime self-defense force (JMSDF) as part of the deployment to the Indo pacific region, conducted a goodwill exercise with the Republic of Kiribati Police Service. MCT provided instruction in maneuvering techniques on board the patrol vessel TEANOIⅡ provided by the Australian government.

On June 23, MCT received a welcome and appreciation for this activity form the president of the republic of Kiribati, at the national police day event.

The JCG will continue to coopere with coast guard agencies in other countries toward realizing a "Free and Open Indo-Pacific" (FOIP) based on the rule of law. The JCG will also actively contribute to the development of coast guard agencies' capacities in the Indo-Pacific region, including those of Pacific Island countries. In the area of capacity building support, the JCG will collaborate with relevant organizations, including the Ministry of Defense, based on the needs of partner countries.