Japan to link patrol ships to Starlink for better communications in sensitive waters

The Japan Coast Guard’s large patrol vessels will begin using SpaceX’s Starlink satellite service to enhance their communications capabilities, Nikkei has learned.

The plan is for 66 large patrol ships to adopt the service in fiscal 2025, which ends on March 31, with an additional 16 vessels joining the following year. These ships patrol waters near the Japanese-administered Senkaku Islands, which China claims as the Diaoyu Islands.

In the future, all four hydrographic survey vessels that conduct seafloor topography surveys will also adopt the service.

To address rising tensions from routine Chinese vessel incursions near the Senkakus, the Japanese government adopted a policy in December 2022 to bolster coast guard capabilities. The plan includes additional funding across six key areas, including territorial waters policing.

To strengthen its communications system, the Japan Coast Guard will allocate 4.26 billion yen ($29 million) in fiscal 2025 for installing Starlink, introducing communications equipment with enhanced encryption, and conducting research into cyberattacks.

In July, Japan’s Defence Ministry issued guidelines to enhance defense capabilities in space. With China and Russia developing anti-satellite weapons capable of disabling satellites, Japan plans to reinforce satellite defences and secure satellite communications.

Having multiple satellite communication options will ensure that the Self-Defense Forces can maintain connectivity even during emergencies.

By Khagan Isayev