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Section 2 Ensuring Maritime Security
For Japan, a major maritime state, strengthening order
on the seas based on such fundamental principles as the
rule of law and the freedom of navigation, as well as
ensuring safe maritime transport, is a foundation of its
peace and prosperity, which is extremely important. In
cooperation with the relevant countries, the MOD/SDF
engages in anti-piracy operations, as well as promotes
various initiatives including assistance for capacity
building in this fi eld for coastal states, and making the
most of various opportunities to enhance joint training
and exercises in waters other than those in the immediate
vicinity of Japan.
Part III, Chapter 1, Section 2-5 (Initiatives towards Ensuring Maritime Security)
1 Counter-Piracy Operations
Piracy is a grave threat to public safety and order on the
seas. In particular, for Japan, which depends on maritime
transportation to import most of the resources and food
necessary for its survival and prosperity as a maritime
nation, it is an important issue that cannot be ignored.
1 Basic Approach
The Japan Coast Guard (JCG), one of the law enforcement
agencies in Japan, is primarily responsible for coping with
piracy. However, in cases where it is deemed extremely
diffi cult or impossible for the JCG to cope with piracy by
itself, the SDF is to take action as well.
2 Circumstances Surrounding Incidents of Piracy and Initiatives by the International Community
For Japan and the international community, the waters
off the coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden are
extremely important, connecting Europe and the
Middle East with East Asia. Regarding the waters in
this area, successive United Nations Security Council
resolutions1 were adopted, such as United Nations
Security Council Resolution 1816, which was adopted
in June 2008 in response to the frequent occurrence
of and rapid increase in the piracy incidents with the
purpose of acquiring ransoms by detaining hostages
caused by pirates, who are armed with machine guns
and rocket launchers. These resolutions have requested
that various countries take actions, particularly the
dispatch of warships and military aircraft, to deter
piracy in the waters off the coast of Somalia and in the
Gulf of Aden.
To date, approximately 30 countries, including the
United States, have dispatched their warships to the
waters off the coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden.
As part of its counter-piracy initiatives, the European
Union (EU) has been conducting Operation Atalanta
since December 2008, in addition to the counter-piracy
operations conducted by the Combined Task Force
151 (CTF 151)2 that was established in January 2009.
Meanwhile, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
(NATO) commenced Operation Ocean Shield in August
2009 but ended this activity in December 2016. CTF 151
and the EU have been conducting their operation, and
other countries have been dispatching their assets to the
See
Fig. III-2-2-1Piracy Incidents Off the Coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden (Comparison with the number of incidents in Southeast Asia)
11 12 13 14 15 161009080706050
50
100
150
200
250
Notes: The data is based on a report by the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC).
1515
128128
111100
141141 147147
22
6868
48482222 5151
111111
218218
237219219
83837070 7070
75758080
104104
5454
4646
102102
(Year)
(Number of incidents)
Southeast AsiaSomalia and surroundings
1 Other United Nations Security Council resolutions calling for cooperation in deterring piracy are: Resolutions 1838, 1846, and 1851 (adopted in 2008), Resolution 1897 (adopted in 2009), Resolutions 1918 and 1950 (adopted in 2010), Resolutions 1976 and 2020 (adopted in 2011), Resolution 2077 (adopted in 2012), Resolution 2125 (adopted in 2013), Resolution 2184 (adopted in 2014), Resolution 2246 (adopted in 2015) and Resolution 2316 (adopted in 2016).
2 The Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), the headquarters of which is located in Bahrain, announced the establishment of the CTF in January 2009 as a multilateral combined task force for counter-piracy operations.
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area. The international community continues to have a
critical interest in and take actions to tackle the acts of
piracy off the coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden.
As these initiatives by the international community
have proved to be effective, the number of acts of piracy
occurring in the waters off the coast of Somalia and in
the Gulf of Aden has hovered at a low level in recent
years. However, the assumed root causes of piracy such
as poverty in Somalia have still remained unsolved. In
addition, considering the fact that Somalia’s capability
to crack down on piracy is also still insuffi cient, if the
international community reduces its counter-piracy
efforts, the situation could be easily reversed. Therefore,
there is no great change in the situation in which Japan
must carry out its counter-piracy operations. Moreover,
the Japanese Shipowners’ Association and other entities
are continuously requesting that the SDF continue making
every effort in relation to their counter-piracy operations.
Fig. III-2-2-1 (Piracy Incidents Off the Coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden (Comparison with the number of incidents in Southeast Asia))
3 Japanese Initiatives
(1) Legislation Concerning Counter-Piracy OperationsIn March 2009, following the order for Maritime Security
Operations for the purpose of protecting Japan-affi liated
vessels from acts of piracy in the waters off the coast of
Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden, two Japanese destroyers
began providing direct escort to Japan-affi liated vessels,
while P-3C patrol aircraft also commenced warning and
surveillance operations in June the same year.
In view of the United Nations Convention on the
Law of the Sea, Japan subsequently enacted the Anti-
Piracy Measures Act3 in July the same year in order to
deal appropriately and effectively with acts of piracy.
This act made it possible to protect the vessels of all
nations from acts of piracy, regardless of their fl ag
states. Moreover, it also enabled the use of weapons to
a reasonable extent, if no other means were available, in
order to halt vessels engaging in acts of piracy, such as
approaching civilian vessels.
Furthermore, the Act on Special Measures
concerning the Security of Japanese Flagged Vessels in
Areas that Are Highly Susceptible to Acts of Piracy came
into force on November 2013, which made it possible to
have security guards on board a Japanese ship provided
certain requirements are met, enabling them to carry
small arms for the purpose of security operations.
Reference 17 (Main Operations of the Self-Defense Forces); Reference 18 (Statutory Provisions about Use of Force and Use of Weapons by SDF Personnel or SDF Units); Reference 62 (Outline of a Bill Concerning Punishment of and Response to Acts of Piracy)
(2) Activities by the Self-Defense Forces Fig. III-2-2-2 (SDF’s Counter-Piracy Operations) Fig. III-2-2-3 (Structure of the Deployed Forces)
a. Deployment Surface Force for Counter Piracy Enforcement The Deployment Surface Force for Counter Piracy
Enforcement (DSPE) is a unit that conducts counter-
piracy measures using destroyers. The DSPE strives to
ensure the safety of ships navigating in the area in two
different manners – direct escort of private vessels across
the Gulf of Aden, and zone defense in allocated areas
in the Gulf of Aden. In addition, there are JCG offi cers
aboard the destroyer.4
In the direct escort, the destroyer and private vessels
to be escorted fi rst gather at one of the two assembly points
designated at the eastern and western ends of the Gulf of
Aden on the agreed date and time, and then the destroyer
escort the private vessel to the other assembly point. When
the destroyer escorts the convoy, the helicopters carried
on the destroyer also monitor the surrounding area from
the sky as necessary. In this way, it takes around two days
to sail approximately 900 km,5 while it ensures that the
convoy is safe and secure all day and night. Moreover, as
for the zone defense, the destroyer is deployed to waters
allocated in coordination with the CTF 151 headquarters,
and conducts warning and surveillance operations.6
In recent years, while there are still ongoing requests
See
See
See
Crew member of MSDF destroyer Yudachi upon completing a mission of the Deployment Surface Force for Counter-Piracy Enforcement and being reunited with his family for the fi rst time
in six months (September 2016)
3 Offi cial name: Acts on Punishment of and Measures Against Acts of Piracy4 Eight JCG offi cers are onboard and conduct judicial law enforcement activities, including arresting and interrogating pirates, as required.5 During the non-monsoon seasons (March-May, September-November), when acts of piracy occur over a larger area due to calmer seas, the escort route is extended by approximately 200 km to the east.6 Since December 2013, the DSPE has conducted zone defense by participating in CTF 151, in addition to direct escort missions that had been carried out previously, in order to implement more fl exible
and effective operations in close cooperation with the units of other countries engaged in counter-piracy operations.
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for escort from vessels that are vulnerable to piracy such
as tankers with relatively low speed and low broadside,
the demand for direct escort has been decreasing. This
is partly due to the existence of other initiatives for self-
defense of private vessels involving the boarding of
private armed security guards.
As this trend was expected to continue, the
Government of Japan determined that the SDF would
decrease the planned number of direct escorts and carry
out zone defense during the period when direct escort is
not conducted. Accordingly the Government of Japan
changed the number of the deployed destroyers from
two to one for operations off the coast of Somalia and in
the Gulf of Aden from December 2016: (1) based on the
number of destroyers in recent years, the planned number
of direct escorts in a month would be decreased, and at
the same time, (2) during the period when direct escort is
not conducted, zone defense would be carried out instead.
b. Deployment Air Force for Counter Piracy EnforcementThe Deployment Air Force for Counter Piracy Enforcement
(DAPE) is a unit conducting counter-piracy activities
using the P-3C patrol aircraft (two aircraft dispatched).
The unit conducts warning and surveillance operations
in the fl ight zone that is determined in coordination with
the CTF 151 headquarters7 and confi rms any suspicious
boats. At the same time, the unit also provides information
to the destroyers, the naval vessels of other countries and
civilian vessels, responding by such means as confi rming
Photograph commemorating the total number of identifi ed vessels and ships reaching 180,000 in the mission of the Deployment Air Force for Counter-Piracy Enforcement (August 2016)
Fig. III-2-2-2 SDF’s Counter Piracy Operations
0 50 100 200km
Potions Copyright©2016 GeoCatalog Inc.Source: Esri, DigitalGlobe, Earthstar Geographics, CNES/Airbus DS, USDA, USGS, GeoEye, Getmapping, AeroGRID, IGP, UPR-EGP, and the GIS Community
Escort Route(900-1,100 km)
During the non-monsoon period(March-May and
September-November), the escort route is extended approx. 200 km to the east
[Deployment Surface Force for Counter Piracy Enforcement] One Destroyer (approx. 200 personnel/eight Coast Guard Officers aboard)
Direct escort Escorting private vessels using the escort method (right figure)
Zone defense Warning and surveillance activities within specific waters (left figure)
National Tasking
CTF151
(*) One vessel system (one for direct escort and one for zone defense) has been deployed since December 14, 2016. Direct escort is carried out as a major activity, and zone defense is conducted during the non-escort operation period.
Djibouti
Somalia[Deployment Support Group for Counter Enforcement] (approx. 110 personnel)
Implementation of guard/maintenance at SDF operational facility.
[Deployment Air Force for Counter Piracy Enforcement] Two P-3C patrol aircraft (approx. 60 personnel)
Surveillance flight Provision of information regarding the airspace over the escort route.
Naval Vessels Patrol Aircraft
Activities by other countries
(Japan)CTF151
(Germany, Spain)EUNAVFOR
(Japan, China, ROK, India, etc.) National Tasking
(Note) The scale of deployed forces depends on the timing as the operations are carried out by all the participating countries in rotation.
Zone DefenseDirect Escort
(Germany, Spain, Netherlands,Italy, etc.)
EUNAVFOR
(Japan, ROK, Pakistan,Turkey, etc.)
CTF151
CTF151
7 In addition, DAPE has been participating in CTF 151 since February 2014. This participation enabled the force to acquire information that was previously not accessible. Moreover, it became possible to conduct more fl exible warning and surveillance activities. For example, aircraft can be deployed as needed even to areas that are highly susceptible to acts of piracy, and as a result, coordination between other countries’ units was further enhanced.
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the safety of the surrounding area immediately, if
requested. The information gathered by SDF P-3Cs is
constantly shared with other related organizations, and
contributes signifi cantly to deterring acts of piracy and
disarming vessels suspected of being pirate ships.
c. Deployment Support Group for Counter Piracy Enforcement
In order to improve the operational effi ciency and
effectiveness of the DAPE, the Deployment Support
Group for Counter Piracy Enforcement (DGPE) carries
out activities such as maintenance of the facility set up
in the northwest district of Djibouti International Airport.
d. Transport UnitThe Airlift Squadron regularly operates ASDF
transport aircraft to carry out air transport of materials
required by the DAPE and the DGPE.
e. Combined Task Force 151 (CTF 151) Deployed unit at the Headquarters
In order to strengthen coordination with the units of
other countries engaged in counter-piracy operations
and enhance the effectiveness of the SDF’s counter-
piracy operations, the MOD decided to dispatch SDF
personnel serving as the CTF 151 commander and the
headquarter staff in July 2014, and has dispatched SDF
personnel to the CTF 151 Headquarters where an offi cer
from other countries serves as the commander since
August 2014. During the period from May to August
2015, the SDF also dispatched a CTF 151 commander
for the fi rst time,8 while between March and June
2017 a CTF 151 commander as well as staff were also
dispatched to the Headquarters.
f. AchievementsAs of May 31, 2017, the DSPE has escorted 3,791
vessels. Under the protection of the SDF destroyers,
not a single vessel has come to any harm from pirates
and these vessels have all passed safely across the Gulf
of Aden.
As for the DAPE, it commenced the counter-piracy
operations in June 2009. As of May 31, 2017, the DAPE
has conducted the following activities: aircraft have
fl own 1,810 missions with their fl ying hours totaling
13,890 hours; approximately 150,200 ships conducted
identifi cation tasks; and information was provided to
vessels navigating the area and other countries engaging
in counter-piracy operations on around 12,720 occasions.
The activities conducted by the DAPE account for
approximately 70-80% of the warning and surveillance
operations carried out in the Gulf of Aden by the
international community.
4 Praise for Japan’s Endeavors
The counter-piracy operations by the SDF have been
highly praised by the international community. For
example, national leaders and others have expressed
their gratitude and the SDF has also been repeatedly
well-received by the United Nations Security Council
Resolution. Moreover, the destroyers, which are
engaging in counter-piracy operations off the coast of
Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden, has received many
Fig. III-2-2-3 Structure of the Deployed Forces
Commander, Self Defense Fleet
Commander, Deployment SurfaceForce for Counter Piracy Enforcement
Coast Guard Officers: 8 officials aboard
Total approx. 200 personnel
GSDF personnel
MSDF personnel
MSDF and GSDF personnel
1 destroyer
Special Boarding Unit personnel aboard1 or 2 patrol helicopters, as well as 1 or 2 special boats
Commander, Deployment Air Forcefor Counter Piracy Enforcement
Total approx. 60 personnel
Total of less than 20 personnelHeadquarter
[Deployment Surface Force for Counter Piracy Enforcement]Escort private ships with destroyers and conduct zone defense within CTF 151
[Deployment Air Force for Counter Piracy Enforcement]Conduct surveillance flight over the Gulf of Aden by P-3C patrol aircraft
[Deployment Support Group for Counter Piracy Enforcement]Facilitate communication and coordination with relevant authorities of Djibouti and conduct duties related to necessary support for the DAPE to conduct counter-piracy operations
[CTF 151 Deployed Unit at the Headquarters]SDF personnel serving as CTF 151 commander and command center officers facilitate coordination among units of countries participating in CTF 151* In addition, Airlift Squadron comprised of C-130H transport aircraft under the Air Support Commander will provide airborne transportation of materials etc. when necessary.
Commander, Deployment SupportGroup for Counter Piracy Enforcement
Combined Task Force 151 (CTF 151)Deployed unit at the Headquarters
Total approx. 110 personnel (about 30 maritime, about 80 ground)
Headquarter
Operationunits
Guard units
Military Police units
Squadron(2 P-3Cs)
Support and logistics units
8 No member of the SDF had ever served as a commander of a multinational force since the foundation of the SDF.
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messages from the captains and ship owners of the
vessels that its units have escorted, expressing their
gratitude that the ships were able to cross the Gulf of
Aden with peace of mind and asking them to continue
escorting ships there.
2 Contribution to the Maintenance of Public Safety and Order on the Seas through Maritime Training
1 Training Conducted by the SDF and Counter-Piracy Teams from Various Countries in the Gulf of Aden
In accordance with the agreement reached at the meeting
between Prime Minister Abe and then NATO Secretary
General Rasmussen in May 2014, the SDF’s deployed
unit and NATO’s counter-piracy unit, with the objective
of enhancing their cooperation and tactical skills
required for counter-piracy activities, implemented
joint exercises in the Gulf of Aden in September and
November of the same year. In addition, since October
2014, the SDF has conducted joint exercises also with
the EU surface forces and counter-piracy units of
Turkey, Pakistan and other countries.
These training exercises conducted in the Gulf of
Aden have an essential signifi cance in that they strengthen
the cooperation between the SDF and counter-piracy
teams from various countries and regional organizations,
and contribute to the maintenance of public safety and
order on the seas.
As the Commander of the Combined Task Force 151 (CTF 151)Voice
Rear Admiral Tatsuya Fukuda, Commander, CTF 151 (Commander, MSDF Escort Flotilla 4)
For approximately four months from early March to the end of June 2017, I had served as commander of CTF 151 in Bahrain
and engaged in counter-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden conducted by participating vessels and
aircraft from the naval forces of various countries. I was the second MSDF personnel to serve as Commander, CTF 151. At the CTF
Headquarters, 25 staff offi cers from 11 countries around the world worked together and made their best efforts to perform their
duties while overcoming language and cultural barriers among them.
As the counter-piracy operations carried out so far have proved to be effective, the number of piracy incidents occurring
in this area has hovered at an extremely low level in recent years. In the meantime, the threat of piracy still exists against the
background of the domestic situation in Somalia, and in fact, several incidents of hijacking of private vessels have occurred since
March 2017. Continuing counter-piracy activities in this area is essential to prevent the recurrence of these piracy incidents, and it
is no exaggeration to say that the importance of such activities is increasing more than ever before.
Japan, a maritime nation and a country striving for stable seas, has a signifi cant responsibility in the establishment of the global
maritime security. As the world’s pre-eminent “Leading Navy,” the MSDF will continue to play an active role in establishing regional
and maritime security by engaging in various operations including counter-piracy operations.
Staff offi cers of the CTF 151 Headquarters and Rear Admiral Fukuda (sixth from left in the front row) in Bahrain
Rear Admiral Fukuda (right) taking over as Commander of CTF 151 from his predecessor, Commodore of the Pakistan Navy
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2 Participation in the U.S. Hosted International Mine Countermeasures Exercise and Other Exercises
The MSDF has participated in every multilateral mine
countermeasures exercise9 in the waters around the Arabian
Peninsula hosted by the U.S. Navy since its fi rst exercise
in 2012, and this includes its participation in the Fourth
International Mine Countermeasures Exercise in 2016. In
addition, the MSDF also dispatched personnel to the fi rst
International Maritime Exercise (command post exercise)
hosted by the United States and conducted in Bahrain
in May 2017. Participating in this exercise assists in the
enhancement of the tactical skills of the MSDF and the
strengthening of trust among the participating countries.
At the same time, the exercise also contributes to the
maintenance of maritime security, while also contributing
to the improvement of the global security environment.
3 Strengthening of Cooperation in Maritime Security through Joint Training, etc.
During June to August 2016, the MSDF participated in
the Rim of the Pacifi c Joint Exercise (RIMPAC201610)
that was hosted by the U.S. Navy and carried out in the
waters and airspace surrounding Hawaii and the west
coast of the United States. In September 2016, the MSDF
also participated in the Multinational Maritime Exercise
hosted by the Royal Australian Navy in the surrounding
water of Darwin (Australia). Furthermore, in November
2016, the MSDF participated in the Royal New Zealand
navy-hosted International Fleet Review, ASEAN Defense
Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) Plus maritime security
fi eld training exercise, and the Multinational Maritime
Exercise hosted by the Royal New Zealand Navy.
Through the participation in these exercises, the MSDF
improves its tactical skills as well as advancing mutual
understanding and strengthening of trust relationships
with other participating countries.
Strengthening cooperation with other participating
countries through these joint exercises contributes to the
maintenance of maritime security, which has extremely
high signifi cance.
Section 1-2 (Initiatives under the Multilateral Security Framework and through Dialogue)
Reference 52 (Participation in Multilateral Training (Last Three Years))
3 Initiatives in the Asia-Pacifi c Region
The National Security Strategy and the National Defense
Program Guidelines state that Japan will play a leading
role in maintaining and developing “Open and Stable
Seas,” including maritime security cooperation with
other countries.
Accordingly, the MOD/SDF implements capacity
building assistance in maritime security for Indonesia,
Vietnam and Myanmar, thereby assisting countries
such as coastal states enhance their capabilities, and
strengthening cooperation with partners that share the
same strategic interests as Japan.
In addition, the Basic Plan on Ocean Policy
approved by the Cabinet in April 2013 states that to
contribute to the creation and development of maritime
order, Japan would ensure international collaboration
and promote international cooperation by making use of
fora such as multilateral and bilateral ocean conferences
to contribute to international rule-making and consensus
building. In response to this, the MOD has been working
on cooperation for maritime security within regional
security dialogue frameworks such as the ADMM Plus
and the Inter-Sessional Meeting on Maritime Security
(ISMMS).
Section 1-2 (Initiatives under the Multilateral Security Framework and through Dialogue); Section 1-3 (Promoting Capacity Building Assistance and Other Practical Multilateral Security Cooperation)
See
See
9 The exercise took place in May 2017, and command post exercises were carried out.10 RIMPAC has been held almost every other year since 1971, and the 25th exercise took place this year. The MSDF began participating in RIMPAC in 1980, making this year its 19th participation. From
the MSDF, the Destroyer Units (Destroyers Chokai and Hyuga), the Minesweeping Units, and the Air Units (two P-3C patrol aircraft) participated in the exercise.
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