Japan
Arrival:
Pilots
Pollution:
Pollution
Facilities:
Medical
Security:
Emergency
Misc:
Authority
Report:
Report
General Information for Japan
Geo-political:
Capital City: Tokyo.
Nationality: (noun) Japanese, (adjective) Japanese.
Population: 127,078,679.
Communications:
International Direct Dial Code: 81.
Number of Internal Airports: 144.
Major Languages Spoken: Japanese.
Economy:
Currency: 1 Yen (JPY) of 100 Sen.
Main Industries: Among world's largest and technologically advanced producers of motor vehicles, electronic
equipment, machine tools, steel and nonferrous metals, ships, chemicals, textiles
and processed foods.
Environment:
Territorial Sea: 12 n.m.
Other Maritime Claims: Contiguous Zone: 24 n.m. Exclusive Economic Zone: 200 n.m.
Coastline Extent: 29,751 km.
Climate: Varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north.
Natural Resources: Negligible mineral resources and fish.
Natural Hazards: Many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic occurrences (mostly tremors)
every year; tsunamis; typhoons.
Terrain: Mostly rugged and mountainous.
Average Temperatures:
| Month | High | Low |
|---|---|---|
| January | 8° C | 1° C |
| June | 25° C | 18° C |
| September | 25° C | 18° C |
CHARTS:
Navigational charts and nautical publications published by the Japan Hydrographic
Association (JHA).
Notices to Mariners issued by the Japan Coast Guard.
www1.kaiho.mlit.go.jp/TUHO/nme.html/
ISPS COMPLIANCE:
ISPS & Financial Security Information Reports:
Vessels arriving from foreign ports must submit reports on ISPS, and Financial Security
Information (Liability for Oil Pollution Damage), required by Japanese Law, to the
following authorities, before entering Japanese waters, with one day's notice, excluding
Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.
- local Japan Coast Guard (JCG) Office by 24 hours before entry
- district Transport Bureau by noon of one day before entry
These reports should be submitted by using a Pre-Arrival Procedure Format form, pages
1 and 2.
Master may forward this document to the authorities directly via email or fax, however
the best way is to submit through Agent, who is familiar with the formalities and
is able to forward it directly to JCG and Transport Bureau offices by the Nippon Automated
Cargo & Port Consolidated System (NACCS).
Particular attention should be paid to the fact that, unless the Pre-Arrival Procedure
Format is accepted in time by both the authorities, vessels are not allowed to enter
Japanese waters (including sea pilot stations). Furthermore it should be noted that
the district Transport Bureau offices are only available on weekdays from 0900–1700 hrs.
Except in an emergency case no waiver is allowed by those offices, therefore if a
vessel does not submit the form by Friday 1200 hrs. Japan Standard Time, the document
will be accepted on Monday morning, the earliest possible time for the vessel to be
able to enter Japanese waters will then be Tuesday 0001 hrs. JST even if the original
ETA is over a weekend.
Also see
Pre-Arrival Information
PILOTAGE:
Passage of Tokyo Bay, Ise Bay and Osaka Bay requires the services of a bay pilot,
while passage of Seto Naikai (Inland Sea) requires an Inland Sea pilot. Other major
ports provide harbour pilots. It is therefore strongly advised that Masters of vessels
proceeding in not only compulsory but also non-compulsory pilotage areas should take
advantage of the service of a pilot to prevent casualties at sea.
Pilotage is arranged via Agent.
Compulsory Pilotage:
Presently, there are ten compulsory pilotage districts, and they are set in port areas
and water areas as follows:
| District | Remarks |
|---|---|
| Compulsory District Set in Port Area: | |
| Yokosuka, Sasebo, Naha | Foreign ships of 300 g.t. or more, Japanese ships with 300 g.t. or more engaged in international voyage, Japanese ships with 1,000 g.t. or more not engaged in international voyage |
| Yokohama-Kawasaki | Ships ≤3,000 g.t., ships <3,000 g.t. loaded with dangerous goods |
| Kanmon (Kanmon Strait) | Ships of 10,000 g.t. or more, ships from 3,000 to 10,000 g.t. that do not pass Kanmon District area, ships less than 3000 g.t. loaded with dangerous goods |
| Compulsory District Set in Water Area: | |
| Tokyo Bay, Ise-Mikawa Bay, Osaka Bay, Bisan-Seto (including Mizus | |