Tokyo, Japan – The Japan Coast Guard has announced a plan to bolster its maritime surveillance capabilities by doubling its fleet of large MQ-9B Sea Guardian drones to 10 aircraft within the next five years. This move reflects growing Japanese concern over China’s increasing influence and security tensions in the waters surrounding the country. According to Kyodo News, the Coast Guard has allocated approximately 11.1 billion yen for the operation and maintenance of this fleet in its draft budget for fiscal year 2026. This is part of a preliminary budget totaling approximately 122 trillion yen. The Japanese government aims to secure parliamentary approval for the budget before the end of March, with implementation expected to begin at the start of the new fiscal year in April 2026.
The coast guard currently operates three US-made Sea Guardian drones. However, the program suffered a setback last November when operations were temporarily suspended after one of the drones crashed into the runway. Despite this, Tokyo has continued its plans to strengthen the sector. In January 2025, it relocated its drone operations base to Kitakyushu Airport in southwestern Japan, aiming to improve response times in sensitive maritime areas.
The approval to purchase five additional aircraft comes amid what authorities described as a “growingly dangerous situation in the surrounding waters,” particularly with the continued and regular incursions by Chinese vessels into the vicinity of the Senkaku Islands, which are administered by Japan but claimed by China. The decision also coincides with escalating tensions surrounding Taiwan, especially after Prime Minister Sana Takaichi’s remarks last November, in which she suggested that any attack on the island could provoke a response from the Japanese Self-Defense Forces. The MQ-9B Sea Guardian is one of the most advanced unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for maritime reconnaissance. It is approximately 12 meters long with a wingspan of 24 meters. It has the capability to fly continuously for more than 24 hours and a range that allows it to complete a full surveillance tour of Japan’s exclusive economic zone in a single mission.
