The ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre (ISC), with support from the Japan Coast Guard and Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, concluded a five-day Capacity Building Executive Programme (CBEP) in Tokyo, Japan.
Held from 21-25 October 2024, the meeting brought together senior officers from the Japan Coast Guard, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, as well as representatives from 14 ReCAAP Focal Points/Contact Points (Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong (China), India, Japan, Republic of Korea, Laos, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States, and Vietnam).
Over the past five days of the CBEP, ReCAAP Focal Points/Contact Points updated on counter-piracy efforts in their regions and reassessed their resources and preparedness to address armed robbery within their Areas of Responsibility (AoR). I extend my appreciation to the Japan Coast Guard and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan for their invaluable assistance in organizing this meeting.
… said Krishnaswamy Natarajan, Executive Director, ReCAAP ISC
Capacity building is one of the three main pillars of ReCAAP ISC’s mission. The CBEP provided a platform for ReCAAP Focal Points/Contact Points to network, exchange best practices, and update on the latest piracy and armed robbery situations in Asia.
Topics covered included:
- Efforts to address unauthorized boarding and robbery onboard ships in territorial waters, ports, and anchorages
- Case studies on the arrest and prosecution of perpetrators
- Counter-piracy measures and maritime security policies
- Acts of piracy and jurisdiction exercises by coastal states
Participants also engaged with members of the Japanese Shipowners’ Association and discussed the future of ReCAAP ISC.
Since ReCAAP ISC was formed in 2006, Japan has actively enhanced the capabilities of ReCAAP Focal Points/Contact Points to combat piracy, sea robbery, and other transnational maritime crimes.
… commented Rear Admiral Shirasaki Shunsuke, ReCAAP ISC Governor for Japan and Deputy Director General, Administration Department, Japan Coast Guard
