Program in Brief

This program equips students with the knowledge, skills, and experiences needed to effectively handle a wide range of maritime challenges.

• Program Director: Associate Professor Matthew Brummer
• Degree Offered: Master of Policy Studies
• Language of Instruction: English
• Time Schedule:
  • Program duration: 1 year
  • Enrollment: October
  • Graduation: September
• Financial Support
  • Applicants who belong to a maritime safety and security related organization in eligible countries can apply for financial support from JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency).
• How to Apply
  • For applicants from countries eligible for JICA scholarship, please apply as a participant of JICA's Knowledge Co-Creation Program.
    JICA office: Click here (JICA offices in Asia)
    JICA Chugoku Center: (mail to) cicttp@jica.go.jp
  • For externally funded or self-financed international applicants:
    MSP brochure Click here
    Online Application Click here

  The Maritime Safety and Security Policy Program (MSP) is a collaborative program designed and administered jointly by GRIPS and the Japan Coast Guard (JCG). The program makes it possible for students to benefit from the resources of both institutions in the fields of public policy, security studies, maritime safety, and maritime security. The students will have the opportunity to acquire professional knowledge, analytical skills, and communication skills relevant to their work while becoming members of a network of future coast guard leaders from around the world.

  Students study in Tokyo at GRIPS during the first half of the academic year and in Kure, Hiroshima at the Japan Coast Guard Academy (JCGA) during the second half.

  Study at GRIPS
  Students take required and elective courses at GRIPS from October through March. Required courses include International Relations, International Security Studies, International Law, International Law of the Sea, and Coast Guard Studied. The diverse elective courses enable students to deepen their knowledge in their individual fields of interest. Students will develop analytical skills necessary to conduct robust study of a wide range of maritime policy issues.

  Study at the JCGA
  From April through July, the students will take courses and participate in practical training and educational programs at the JCGA. The required courses are Policy for Search and Rescue, Salvage and Maritime Disaster Prevention, and Maritime Police Policy. Students can further enhance their ability to effectively execute their duties as coast guard leaders through the study of a wide range of elective subjects designed to further develop knowledge of technology, investigations, and best practices for maritime law enforcement agencies.

  Research Paper
  During the course of one year, students write a research paper on issues relevant to the study of maritime safety and security. To do so, the student will work together with two academic advisors—one from each GRIPS and the JCGA—to complete the paper before graduation.

  Target Group

  Junior coast guard officers from Japan and overseas who have more than 3 years of work experience and who are under 45 years of age as of October 1, 2026.