The Japan Coast Guard launched its largest patrol ship on Thursday at a shipyard in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, southwest of Tokyo.
The Akitsushima, built at Japan Marine United Corp.'s Isogo plant in Yokohama, is capable of spending long periods at sea. It will be used to respond to serious incidents along Japan's ocean borders and terrorist attacks.
The 6,500-ton, 150-meter-long ship is almost identical with the Shikishima patrol vessel, which was launched in 1992.
Source: Jiji Press
