Recently, the namber of foreign-flag vessels entering Japanese prots have been increasing and mainly non-Japanese crew, irrespective of the vessel's flag, operate the majority of them. The mixed crew system on vessels is a global trend in the shipping industry, but a statistice show that marine accidents by foreign vessels are increasing in percentage in Japanese waters. One of the causes of these accidents by attributed to the lack of "Sailing Directions for Japanese Coasts (foreign language version)" for non-Japanese crew who are not fully familiar with the hydrographic situation in Japanese waters.

연도	항행통보 호수	항행통보 항수