Japan has expanded its Mobile Cooperation Team (MCT) initiative to the Pacific Islands, dispatching units to the Marshall Islands and Micronesia for training and assistance. The program, which aims to enhance regional capacity in search and rescue, law enforcement, and oil spill prevention, is seen as a countermeasure to China’s expanding naval presence in the region. Tokyo has also provided patrol vessels and offered lectures on international maritime law to Pacific nations. Experts believe Japan’s assistance could help prevent the islands from falling under Beijing’s influence and ensure the security of shipping routes across the Pacific.