Japan Coast Guard Ship ‘Itsukushima’ Arrives in Chennai to Strengthen India-Japan Maritime Ties

Japan Coast Guard (JCG) Ship Itsukushima, commanded by Captain Naoki Mizoguchi, arrived at Chennai Port on July 07, 2025, as part of its Global Ocean Voyage Training, reinforcing the strategic partnership between the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and JCG in the Indo-Pacific. The week-long port call includes high-level bilateral meetings, joint professional & cultural exchanges, and a sea exercise aimed at boosting interoperability between the two forces.

During the port call, crew members will engage in courtesy calls, reciprocal ship visits, joint training sessions, yoga, and sporting events, culminating in a joint sea exercise ‘Jaa Mata’ (see you later) on July 12, 2025.

As a symbol of growing cooperation, four ICG officers will sail onboard Itsukushima to Singapore as Sea Riders, continuing the tradition of professional exchange. This engagement builds on the 2006 Memorandum of Cooperation between India and Japan, aligned with India’s SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) vision and the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI).

SR/MR/KB