Japan Coast Guard cuts down on training to save on fuel costs

If you die at sea because the rescue team sent to save you lacks training, at least take comfort in the fact that they’re saving money on fuel costs:

The Japan Coast Guard operates 355 patrol vessels and 73 aircraft. It has emerged that the coast guard’s fiscal 2008 budget for fuel will run out in January if the current pace of fuel consumption is maintained.

On top of the high price of crude oil, the coast guard has quickly gone through its fuel budget due to events such as major earthquakes in June and July, and the G8 summit in Hokkaido in July.

Officials said the measures to limit fuel would include making flights more economical, suspending or postponing navigation experiences for the public and cutting down on disaster prevention and firefighting exercises. The coast guard aims to cut fuel expenditure by 20 percent. Patrols and rescue activities will be maintained as normal.

Also included in the cuts will be many of the training activities of the elite Umizaru rescue team.