Japanese coastguards visit Shoreham lifeboat station

Shoreham's lifeboat crew have continued their tradition of showing how the RNLI carry out life-saving at sea by hosting a visit by a team of rookie Japanese coastguards.
Volunteers at the station with Japanese visitorsVolunteers at the station with Japanese visitors
Volunteers at the station with Japanese visitors

A group of five from the Japan Coast Guard visited the crew at Shoreham lifeboat station on Sunday July 31, continuing an annual tradition now in its 13th year.

The trainees, who are based in London during a two-week exchange visit, travelled to Shoreham to find out how maritime search and rescue in the UK and Ireland different from in their native land.

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Volunteer crew member Dave Simmonds said the annual visit provided an excellent learning opportunity for both parties, and revealed there is one thing which every year never fails to amaze the students.

He said: “The Japanese trainees are always shocked that RNLI lifeboats are crewed entirely by volunteers. I suppose that is because the Japanese government runs their coastguard, they expect to find a similar set up in other countries.

“They initially chose Shoreham because it is one of the most straightforward lifeboat stations on the coast to visit - it’s only an hour and a half on the train from London and our train station is a short walk from the lifeboat station.

“I think the fact that this visit is now in its 13th year proves how useful the Japanese coastguard trainees find it.”

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Established in 1948, the Japan Coast Guard is a government organisation responsible for search and rescue, security of territorial waters and law enforcement at sea, and also has its own training academy in Hiroshima known as the Japan Coast Guard Academy.

The visitors were shown around the lifeboat station and the D class inshore lifeboat and then went onboard the Tamar class all weather lifeboat.

They were then presented with RNLI baseball caps by Shoreham lifeboat coxswain Steve Smith.

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