A Proposal for the Strengthening of Maritime Security and Safety in International Waters

December 1, 2018
TO: Ambassador, William F. Hagerty
FROM: Your Name
SUBJECT: A Proposal for the Strengthening of Maritime Security and Safety in International Waters
RECOMMENDATION: As countries which are both dominantly surrounded by the sea, the United States and Japan have been heavily reliant on the bounties of the sea as a natural resource and a geographical entity. This makes both countries, know the critical importance of keeping security and safety of their surrounding waters. Notably, this includes the marine life and ecology that is above and beneath. In order to maintain security and stability in the surrounding waters, this proposal would focus on the following points:
1 Observance and Enforcement of the “Law of the Sea”
2 Establishment of Mutual Area-based Management Tools (ABMTs) for marine life protection
3 Joint Capacity-Building and Technology Transfer
Observance and Enforcement of the Law of the Sea
In writing your draft to the state of Japan, I strongly recommend that you consult on the specific treaties and laws, which have been established by different international rule-making bodies. Specifically, this includes rules which are outlined in the United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the specific maritime rules of the country (Japan).
Statement of the Purpose
Consulting about the different maritime laws by both International and State institutions would provide better background about the rights and aims of the country. In turn, the goal for knowing such rights is to promote mutual respect and coordination that could help in the promotion of the interests of both countries.
Background of the Problem
One of the biggest and most common sources of the maritime dispute comes from the disrespect of national boundaries and territory as established by the 1982 UNCLOS. As a general rule, countries can consider the bodies of water around them as ‘territorial water’ as long as they lie 12 nautical miles (from the permanently exposed land) of that country. However, as evident in the news, the seas near the ASEAN region is still in dispute due to the Chinese’s claim over the waters of the West Philippine Sea. This violates the treaty and places Japan on the defensive against any potential attempts to claim their waters. In other words, this shows how knowing the rights and respecting their sovereignty is essential to promote mutual trust.
Proposal
After carefully considering and understanding both the international laws and the recent events that transpired in the region, it would be best to strengthen the United States’ ties with the country. Although, it is well-known that both countries are great allies, providing a sense of assurance through capacity building, technology transfer, and strengthening maritime security is the best course of action. While the first two (capacity building and technology transfer) would be discussed in the latter section, one of the best ways to proceed is to assure the country of the continuance of military exercises in the region, which could serve as a deterrent against any attempts of ...