The Importance of High Sea Evacuation by the Japan Self-Defense Force in Preserving Safety and Freedom in the West Pacific Ocean

Introduction: The vastness of the Pacific Ocean stretches out to the east and south of Japan. If a ship crew at high sea suddenly experiences trauma or illness, transporting them to appropriate medical facilities poses significant challenges compared to on-land situations. In these contexts, research and analysis by the Japan Self-Defense Force (SDF) on evacuation activities from the high seas provide useful information to international personnel engaging in sea rescue and research. Methods: Documents published by the Ministry of Defense and Marine Rescue Japan Team were utilized. Cases from 2019 to 2023 were examined in terms of age, gender, nationality, and disease classification. Results: The Japan Coast Guard (JCG) is responsible for command and control in the area of Japan. Furthermore, as requested by the chief officer of the JCG regional branch, the SDF helps with high-sea evacuations. A total of 55 cases were referred to the SDF by the JCG. Among these, 35 (64%) were evacuated by the Japan Maritime SDF, and 20 (36%) by the Japan Air SDF. In 11 cases, long-distance evacuation was conducted more than 500 miles away from land using new aircraft capable of landing on the sea surface. All cases of Japan Air SDF evacuations used search-and-rescue helicopters. Documents confirm that in 29 cases, most evacuees were male, aged 50–59, followed by ages 30–39 and 40–49. Trauma or neurovascular disease was the most common cause, followed by acute abdominal issues. All 29 cases were attended by civil medical staff. Conclusion: To complete evacuation missions from the high seas, cooperation between civil medical facilities and JCG or SDF officials is crucial. This system must be essential to maintain maritime security, including evacuations for safety and freedom of the seas.