MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- Station personnel were invited to give an improvised explosive device brief to Hiroshima Headquarters Japan Coast Guard in their Hiroshima Port Office Oct. 4. Members of station Naval Criminal Investigative Service and Marine Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians spent the day briefing approximately 30 Japan Coast Guardsmen on the dangers of IEDs.
“We are here for the defense of Japan under the U.S. – Japan Security Treaty, but at the same time, we want to share our knowledge and experience in order for them to better themselves in terms of law enforcement,” said Bobby Shibazaki, a NCIS representative. “Law enforcement officers must always be vigilant, and they have to conduct their operational missions in the safest manner possible to protect themselves as well as the general public.”
Shibazaki said there are many things American and Japanese forces can learn from each other through a good working relationship, and the IED awareness brief is a testament to that.
During the brief, EOD technicians and NCIS exposed the attending coast guardsmen to the realities and threat of IEDs. They discussed ways IEDs are made and steps to take if they are ever confronted with one.
“The brief gave them a better understanding of awareness in how to be vigilant for IEDs,” said Shibazaki. “Japan is a safe country, but we wanted to host something in which they would benefit by knowing the danger of IEDs and the importance of implementing evacuation and safety procedures.”
The class in attendance reviewed several IED attacks caught on video. One video involved an IED attack aboard a small vessel approaching a lager patrol boat.
“We don’t really deal with IEDs or other explosives but, as part of our operations, we have to conduct a counter terrorism mission within the coast guard,” said Hisashi Okada, Japan Coast Guard, Headquarters Hiroshima Guard and Rescue section chief, through a translator. “After seeing the video of the patrol boat — how they got close and actually had a detonation by the bombers — it’s made me think, we might have to change our policy on how we can implement an approach to other vessels.”
Although the Japan Coast Guard conducts rescue and recovery missions and maintains order at sea, many have never seen the effects and deaths involved when dealing with IEDs.
“Through the brief, I wanted my staff and personnel to become more vigilant and aware of the threat involved in IEDs and for them to realize there are real dangers out there,” said Okada. “I wanted them to realize there are people out there that create and use IEDs to harm people.”
Japan Coast Guardsmen were selected from aboard three vessels to attend the brief. Individuals were selected from the Guard and Rescue section, while others were from a regular section who worked closely with Guard and Rescue.
Takuya Murao, Japan Coast Guard Hiroshima branch patrol craft Shimagiri chief engineer, was among the individuals who attended the brief.
“We’ve actually gotten close to suspicious vessels in the past,” said Murao, through a translator. “Now, after observing what happened in the videos and learning from the brief, I’ll probably use other methods to keep our distance, either by using a verbal command through a loud speaker or even sending a smaller vessel to make that initial contact. I plan on starting that today.”
Murao said he appreciates everything he learned during the brief and believes the relationship and security that has been built between American and Japanese forces can continue to grow through training like this.
According to NCIS and EOD, this marks the first time a brief like this was done at Headquarters Japan Coast Guard Hiroshima.