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Vessels/Flag States/Japan
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Japan Flag Vessels

2,999 vessels registered under the Japan flag

Total2,999

Japan Maritime Fleet Overview

Japan has 2,999 registered vessels tracked on MarineRadar. The fleet primarily consists of Cargo (434), Tanker (196), Tug (99), Fishing (70) and Passenger (58). Track all Japan-flagged ships with live AIS positions and real-time maritime data.

Cargo434Tanker196Tug99Fishing70Passenger58

About the Japan Flag

Registry Authority

The Japanese flag is administered by the Maritime Bureau of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT). Japan controls one of the world's largest commercial fleets by deadweight, but only a few hundred ships fly the Japanese flag — most Japanese-owned tonnage is registered under Panama, Liberia, or the Marshall Islands.

Why Ships Register in Japan

Japanese registration is reserved largely for ships engaged in domestic cabotage trade — Japan, like the US, restricts coastal trade to nationally flagged tonnage — and for "core fleet" vessels supported under the country's strategic shipping policy, which provides tonnage tax relief and emergency-use commitments in exchange for a Japanese-flag presence.

Notable Operators

Japan's "big three" liner and energy operators — NYK Line, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL), and K Line, jointly owners of the ONE container alliance — flag a portion of their fleets in Japan. Imabari Shipbuilding's owning arms, Iino Lines, and the major LNG carriers serving Tokyo Electric and Tokyo Gas also fly the Japanese flag.

Trade Routes

Japanese-flagged ships dominate the country's coastal cabotage trade between Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu, and serve strategic LNG, LPG, crude-oil, and iron-ore imports from the Middle East, Australia, Russia (Sakhalin), and Indonesia. A small but significant fleet of Japanese-flag pure-car carriers serves the country's automobile exports worldwide.

Showing 1–25 of 1000Page 1 of 40
1
FIRMAMENT ACE
MMSI 431585000·Cargo
2
KAIRYU ESCORT BOAT
MMSI 431011067·Tug
3
SYORYU ESCORT BOAT
MMSI 431002595·Other
4
ZUIRYU ESCORT BOAT
MMSI 431200306·Other
5
HORYU ESCORT BOAT
MMSI 431200669·Other
6
KYOKUOH
MMSI 431004405·Other
7
GARINKOGO 3 IMERU
MMSI 431015841·Passenger
8
HEIANMARU
MMSI 431020414·Unknown
9
OITA
MMSI 431501774·Passenger
10
TOWADA
MMSI 431354000·Tanker
11
KAIOHMARU
MMSI 431001063·Unknown
12
KOUN MARU NO.18
MMSI 431002306·Cargo
13
ARITAMARU
MMSI 431002928·Tug
14
SHONAN MARU NO.15
MMSI 431011512·Tug
15
FERRY KATSURAGI
MMSI 431301245·Passenger
16
SUMISE MARU NO.33
MMSI 431013233·Cargo
17
TSUMEKI MARU
MMSI 431028791·Unknown
18
EIYU MARU NO.7
MMSI 431009317·Cargo
19
EIYU MARU NO.5
MMSI 431003458·Cargo
20
KYOWA MARU
MMSI 431402007·Tanker
21
POTETO MARU
MMSI 431009991·Cargo
22
KAISHIN MARU
MMSI 431001259·Cargo
23
KYOSHIN 2
MMSI 431016597·Cargo
24
SHIN OSHIMA MARU
MMSI 431014365·Cargo
25
YAMABISHI MARU NO.18
MMSI 431011136·Tanker
...
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Frequently Asked Questions

How many vessels are registered under the Japan flag?+
2,999 vessels are currently tracked on MarineRadar with Japan as their flag state. The fleet primarily consists of Cargo (434), Tanker (196), Tug (99), Fishing (70) and Passenger (58). Each vessel transmits live AIS data covering position, speed, course, and voyage destination.
What types of ships fly the Japan flag?+
The Japan-flagged fleet on MarineRadar covers 5 principal vessel categories: Cargo (434), Tanker (196), Tug (99), Fishing (70), Passenger (58). Each category is detailed on its own /vessel-type page with specifications and live tracking.
Who administers the Japan ship registry?+
The Japanese flag is administered by the Maritime Bureau of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT). Japan controls one of the world's largest commercial fleets by deadweight, but only a few hundred ships fly the Japanese flag — most Japanese-owned tonnage is registered under Panama, Liberia, or the Marshall Islands.
Why do ships register under the Japan flag?+
Japanese registration is reserved largely for ships engaged in domestic cabotage trade — Japan, like the US, restricts coastal trade to nationally flagged tonnage — and for "core fleet" vessels supported under the country's strategic shipping policy, which provides tonnage tax relief and emergency-use commitments in exchange for a Japanese-flag presence.
Where do Japan-flagged vessels typically operate?+
Japanese-flagged ships dominate the country's coastal cabotage trade between Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu, and serve strategic LNG, LPG, crude-oil, and iron-ore imports from the Middle East, Australia, Russia (Sakhalin), and Indonesia. A small but significant fleet of Japanese-flag pure-car carriers serves the country's automobile exports worldwide.
How can I track Japan-flagged vessels in real time?+
You can track every Japan-flagged vessel listed above by tapping its name to open the ship's detail page, where MarineRadar shows the live AIS position, recent track, voyage data, and nearby maritime traffic. The same data is available in the iOS and Android app, with notifications and saved-fleet support.