Starlink Gets Japan Coast Guard Crew Connected All Time
Tokyo, April 9 (Jiji Press)--The Japan Coast Guard has started allowing crew members of large patrol vessels to get always connected on board, a move that is aimed at attracting youngsters to the water police suffering a serous manpower shortage.
Last month, the JCG made its all 12 large patrol ships compatible with the Starlink satellite constellation system for high-speed internet connection. The government agency plans to introduce Starlink in stages on at least 85 large patrol and survey ships by fiscal 2032.
The move was initially designed to brace for an accidental shutdown of the dedicated satellite communication network.
For the sake of ship crew's welfare, however, the coast guard has let them connect their smartphones with the internet even when off-duty by using the access service provided by Space Exploration Technologies Corp., or SpaceX.
Previously, coast guard members were banned from personally using the satellite network except for texting. The ban must have forced them to go through many stressful days out at sea as they could have enjoyed constant network connection if they were on land.
(2025/04/09-19:17)
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