II Maintenance and Operation of Aids to Navigation
Excluding Loran-C, Decca and some other stations, which require regular dispatching of JCG personnel, the vast majority of Aids to Navigation function automatically and are unmanned. In order to maintain the function of these Aids to Navigation, JCG carries out maintenance patrols at regular intervals using its vessels, craft, vehicles and helicopters.
Notably, many of the accidents involving Aids to Navigation are due to the collision of vessels with lighted buoys and the like, which are sunk, have their position moved or are damaged as a result. This trend continues to be prominent. In order to ensure the safety of subsequent vessel traffic, JCG calls on those operating ships to prevent accidents and instructs them to make immediate reports in case an accident should occur.
III Local Weather Information Provided by Vessels
JCG provides up-to-date information through a radiotelephone system (accessible on radios able to receive between 288kHz- 316kHz and 1670.5kHz), a telephone service or by fax by observing weather and sea conditions, such as local wind direction, wind speed, waves and swells, at 64 of its nationwide coastal lighthouses, as well as at some other locations, in order to work toward the safety of vessels and operational fishing boats navigating in coastal waters and the maritime leisure safety of recreational boat activities and persons fishing on the seashore, for example.
