The Japan Coast Guard began operating a system on wednesday that can locate and identify Japanese shipson international voyages as a way to enhance the safety and security of their navigation around the world. The introduction of the system is required under the 2006 amendment to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, of which Japan is a signatory.
The United States proposed navigation safety measures be introduced internationally after the 11th September terrorist attacks on the country in 2001.
A total of about 160 signatory countries are eventually expected to operate the system, with only seven countries like Japan, the United States and South Korea having built the system for their vessels.
A ship to be monitored under the system is required to install a transmission device that sends its identity, location and other information to the Japan Coast Guard's computer system every six hours.
Ship information obtained via the system is shared among the participating countries for use in security, and search and rescue activities, according to the convention's amendment.
Previously, the Japan Coast Guard was capable of locating and identifying only ships that were navigating off Japan's coast.
Now it can locate Japanese-registered ships anywhere in the world and foreign-registered ships navigating within a distance not exceeding 1,000 nautical miles of Japan's coast.