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Japan has set her territorial water zone at 12 nautical miles. This distance
was adopted because, at present, there are as many as 60 other countries in
the world that have a 12 nautical mile limit, and also because of the increased
number of accidents involving coastal fishing equipment due to the recent escalation
of activities by Soviet and other large foreign fishing operations on the sea
close to our country. (However, it was decided that the law concerning international
straits would remain unchanged until the Law of the Sea Conference changes the
international position.) The bill concerning territorial waters was then passed
on May 2, 1977 at the 80th ordinary Diet session.
The U.S., Soviet Union and member nations of the European Common Mart decided
in 1976/1977 to extend their fishery zone to 200 nautical miles before a decision
was made at the Law of the Sea Conference. On May 2J977 at the 80th ordinary
Diet session, Japan passed, as an interim measure a bill on the fishery zone.
As a result of enforcement of these laws, Japan has been obliged to make a prompt
deliberation to work out measures for an over-all range of planned control and
use of oceans under the new ocean order. At the same time, extensive surveillance
and control are expected to be required.
Since the enforcement of the two bills concerning measures for territorial waters and fishery zones (effective July, 1977), the Maritime Safety Agency began surveillance and control operation of foreign vessels within Japan's territorial waters as well of foreign fishing ships in a vast fishery zone. These activities increased the volume of the agency's operation drastically. Although the agency utilizes their full force to perform the surveillance and control in the related territorial waters and fishery zone, it is difficult for them to maintain these services with their present capacity. A prompt extension of service capacity is thus needed.
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