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On May 20, 2018, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attended the Sea Review and Comprehensive Drill in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the formation of Japan Coast Guard held in Tokyo Bay.
 
 Prime Minister Abe attended the sea review ceremony, boarding the patrol vessel Yashima, and then observed comprehensive drills from aboard.
 
 After that, in an address to the participating vessels and passengers aboard, the Prime Minister said,
 
“Today, we held a see review and comprehensive drills for the first time in six years. Patrol vessels and aircraft carriers have gathered from all over Japan, from as far north as Kushiro and as far south as Ishigaki Island, while relevant agencies and organizations are participating along with the United States Coast Guard.
 
 Patrol boats and aircraft were operated in crisscross patterns. People needing assistance were spotted from a helicopter and Coast Guard members to assist them were lowered down to the exact location flawlessly. A boat suspected of breaking the law that was attempting to make a getaway was boarded swiftly. Upon seeing these extremely proficient operations with my own eyes, as Prime Minister, I am filled with the sense that the members of the Japan Coast Guard are highly dependable. I would like to express my sincere respect to the members of the Japan Coast Guard, who are even at this very moment in time, facing a wide range of threats at sea, and faithfully and admirably carrying out their mission of ensuring the safety of the seas, a mission which forms the very backbone of Japan.
 
 Japan has been weaving history as an oceanic state, receiving the abundant blessings of the oceans and at times fending off the threats from the seas. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the Coast Guard system. The Japan Coast Guard was established, embodying the mission of recovering peaceful, bountiful seas, at a time when lighthouses were destroyed during the previous War, many ships were left in place after being sunk by naval mines, and there was rampant maritime crime, such as stowaways and smuggling, and the maritime order had been breaking down. We are eyewitnesses to the fact that the members of the Japan Coast Guard are always striving for the people’s happiness, opening the seas, and working hard for security at sea, braving rough waters at the sites of sea rescues, covered in oil at sites where tankers run aground, or evading being shot at while chasing spy ships. Without the Japan Coast Guard, we would not have this current maritime safety and Japan would not have prospered.
 
 Every time I come in contact with members of the Japan Coast Guard, who are risking their lives to protect the waters of Japan with a constant sense of urgency in a difficult environment, I am reminded of a line from a poem by Takamori Saigo.
 
‘Yuki ni Taete Baika Uruwashi (Enduring the snow, the plum blossoms are elegant).’
 
Plum trees beautifully bloom releasing a fragrant aroma in spring because they endure the cold of harsh winters. Happiness awaits those who firmly endure and overcome trials and tribulations. This is the reason why the insignia of the Japan Coast Guard has a plum blossom on it. Like plum blossoms, all of you fulfill your mission with great endurance, no matter how difficult the situation, and I am proud of you. I hope that you will continue to fulfill your noble duty of securing the safety of the oceans and meet the expectations of the public.
 
 The situation regarding the waters surrounding Japan has becoming increasingly severe in a way we have never seen before. There have been repeated intrusions of foreign governmental vessels into our territorial waters around the Senkaku Islands, and we continue to confirm drifting ships thought to have floated in from North Korea in the Sea of Japan. There is always a tense atmosphere in the waters around Japan.
 
 In response to this situation, the decision was recently made to set maritime security as an important pillar of ocean policy. The Government will work in unity to face these difficulties.
 
 Maritime security can be achieved not only through our own efforts to protect the peace and security of Japan but also through our work to create and bolster international maritime order, collaborating with other countries.
 
 The Japan Coast Guard continues to stand on the front lines, rushing to face threats head on at sea. The gleaming white bodies of your ships show the will of Japan to resolve peacefully in accordance with the law without succumbing to force. Your efforts to take the initiative on the rule of law at sea are garnering much attention all around the world.
 
 Crackdowns of maritime crime, patrols in territorial waters, sea rescues, the safety of maritime transport, and ocean research. These are all indispensable for the firm protection of free and open seas based on the rule of law. I would like all members of the Japan Coast Guard to strive diligently to meet the great expectations placed on you from within and outside of Japan and to work on these issues.
 
 Japan has no future as an oceanic state without the Japan Coast Guard. I hope that you will make full use of the capabilities fostered by its 70-year history to carry out important missions more than ever before.
 
‘When will you be back?’
 ‘I do not know when.’
 
This conversation has been repeated numerous times between the members of the Japan Coast Guard and their families. How many times have your families seen you off as you embark on a duty to fulfill day and night, never knowing when it will end? I feel sorry that your families undergo such anxiety and hardships on each mission.
 
 Thanks to the support they receive from their families in particular, the members of the Japan Coast Guard can exert every effort to ensure the safety and security of the Japanese public and protect the peaceful, bountiful seas. I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude.
 
 Lastly, I would like to thank everyone on board today for your understanding and cooperation with the Japan Coast Guard on a daily basis. I would like to draw my remarks to a close by sincerely requesting further support and cooperation going forward, and by expressing my hope for your continued happiness.”