One aspect of the changes in Japanese security policies since the Cold War has been the dispatch of Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) overseas to engage in a range of missions most commonly referred to as ‘PKO’. Beyond the initial political controversy and the attendant media frenzy little is generally known of the nature of the operations, of JSDF duties, and of whether the Forces carried them out effectively or efficiently. The JSDF, Defense Agency/Ministry of Defense, and other public bodies have failed to analyse overseas dispatch operation (ODO) performance, and have generally branded them as successful based upon their completion, and without loss of life, in contrast with Japanese police ODO.
Looking at ODO during the 1990s it is possible to project analyses forward into the operations of the 21st century to evaluate the operations of the post-9.11 period and the prevailing strategic policies driving them, and also to more fully understand the qualities and limitations of JSDF performance in the immediate aftermath of the 3.11 triple disasters. Since JSDF ODO have become the most prominent symbols of an emergent ‘new Japanese strategy’ it is worth understanding whether the Forces have actually been ‘effective international actors’.
2. Structure of Presentation
Effective International Actors?:
JSDF Overseas Dispatch Operations (ODO)
1 Questions and Parameters
2 Extant Research
3 Definition of Terms
4 Methodology and Operational
Analysis
5 Immediate Findings: OA & ODO
6 Broader Findings: ODO and Japan
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3. Quiz!
Know your ODO!!!
1 When/where was the first Japanese
post-war ODO?
2 When/where was the first JSDF
ODO?
3 Does Japan do Peacekeeping?
4 Why does Japan send JSDF ODO?
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4. 1 Questions and Parameters
What operations?
How and why selected?
What did the JSDF actually do?
How did they perform?
How did performance affect the JSDF?
How JSDF culture/configuration affected
performance?
Were the JSDF effective international
actors?
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5. 2 Extant Research
General Specific
Politics of Defence Journalism: event
Constitutional Issues specific
US-Japan Alliance „PKO‟ studies: operations
Japan-Asia Relations „PKO‟ studies: concepts
„Normal‟ Japan Participant studies
Historical controversies JSDF operational studies
Party Politics Official histories
Limited applicability Limited coverage or
Contextual understanding applicability; unpublished
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6. 3 Definition of Terms
„PKO‟
Japan does not „do‟ „PKO‟
Japan developed a „PSO‟ variant
Most operations were not PKO/PSO/PKF
Japan distinguished between „PKO‟ & „PKF‟
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7. 3 Definition of Terms
An Agenda for Peace The Brahimi Report
Boutros Boutros Ghali (Report of the Panel on United
Nations Peace Operations)
1992/95
2000
Main Findings: Main Findings:
1 There are five forms of 1 Identified only 3 forms of
Peace Operation: Peace Operation:
PMO, PKO, PSO, PEO, PMO, PKO, PBO
PBO 3 Need to develop lessons
3 There is no simple learned capabilities and
progression from one to doctrine
the other.
Complex, confusing, but Clear, simple, but potentially
clear for JSDF a legal problem for the JSDF
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8. An Agenda for Peace
Strata of UN Peace Operations
Peacemaking (PMO)-
settlement or suspension of conflict
Peacekeeping (PKO)-
policing/observing of settlement/ ceasefire
Peace Support (PSO)-
support of peace by aiding civil society
Peace Enforcement Operations (PEO)-
use of military power for settlement/ceasefire, or
for compliance with UNSC Chapter VII resolution
Peace Building (PBO)-
post-conflict reinforcement of civil society
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9. 3 Definition of Terms
Overseas Dispatch Operations (ODO)
Japanese: International Peace Cooperation
Activities (IPCA: 国際平和協力活動)
Neutral, covering UN/non-UN
operations, unilateral and multilateral
The IPCA term (and IPC Law) was
developed from the ODA policies of the
1980s
Overseen by IPCH, with JSDF and Police in
the IPCC
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10. Japanese ODO Policy Actors
MoFA
Cabinet
Office/
IPCH
MOD/ NPA/
JSDF Police
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11. Legal and Constitutional Limits on JSDF ODO
Article 9:
Aspiring sincerely to an international
peace based on justice and order, the
Japanese people forever renounce war
as a sovereign right of the nation and
the threat or use of force as means of
settling international disputes.
In order to accomplish the aim of the
preceding paragraph, land, sea, and air
forces, as well as other war
potential, will never be maintained. The
right of belligerency of the state will not
be recognized.
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13. Fear of Clouds and Codes
There is an implicit „code‟
The code is based upon perceptions of
interpretations of a translated document
The code is not codified
The code hangs above, like a „cloud‟
The code/cloud affects laws, policies,
and operational decisions
The code/cloud is imaginary, and very
real, and exerts a tremendous influence
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14. 4 Methodology and Operational
Analysis
Methodology Operational Analysis
1 Triangulation:
JSDF UN Ops JSDF Performance
JSDF non-UN Ops Indicators
Non-Japanese Actors
2 Analytical Framework: 1 Effectiveness
Mission Context 2 Efficiency
Preparation and Logistics 3 Quality
JSDF Performance
(O'Brien, R.J., Police as
Overall Mission Contribution peacekeepers: an evaluation of the
performance of Australian police
peacekeeping on Cyprus 1964 –
1998, PhD thesis (Adelaide:
University of South Australia, 2001).
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15. 4 Limits of Methodology and
Operational Analysis
No systematic JSDF/JDA/MOD analysis
Lack of documentation
Uncritical, non-specific documentation
Small security community
Interview-based
Limited media resources
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16. 4 Limits of Methodology and OA
ODO of the 1990s
UN ODO Non-UN ODO
Allied Support
○ Persian Gulf 1991
UNTAC Cambodia
1992-1993 Humanitarian Assistance
人道支援
○ Rwanda/Zaire 1994,
ONUMOZ Mozambique
West Timor 1999
1992-1995
UNDOF Golan Heights Disaster Relief 緊急援助
1996-present ○ Honduras 1998, Turkey 1999
UN command, PSO, ‘nation Varied, strongly liberal
building’ and ‘classical’ ops IPCO character
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17. 21st Century JSDF ODO
UN ODO Non-UN ODO
Anti-Terrorism
UNMISET East Timor
OEF-MIO
2002~2004 (680)
Allied Support
UNMIN Nepal (6) Iraq, Gulf of Aden/Djibouti
2007~2011 Refugee Relief
MINUSTAH Haiti (350) Afghanistan/Pakistan, Iraq/J
ordan
2010~present
Disaster Relief
UNMISS South Sudan Iran, Thailand/Indonesia, Ru
(c.500) 2012~ ssia, Pakistan
Pattern of the 1990s Appearing to be ‘new’ but
mainly 1990s patterns
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18. 5 Immediate Findings:
Operational Analysis and ODO
Common Issues
Slow deployment and logistical limits
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19. 5 Immediate Findings:
Operational Analysis and ODO
Common Issues
Slow deployment and logistical limits
Legal and political obstacles
○ IPCL as ‘umbrella legislation’
JDA-MOD/JSDF management and culture
○ GSDF ‘rotation’, poor ‘jointery’, culture
Poor local intelligence
○ Mixed Agency, reliance upon US
Defence investment legacies and policies
○ Industrial war priorities in post-modern age
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20. Slow deployment and logistical limits
IPCL limit of 2000 personnel
Each mission requires separate
legislation (with exceptions)
Rapid deployment disabled by use of ad
hoc units assembled from personnel
within a Regional Army
“Alice in Wonderland” approach to unit
security (ROE/equipment etc.) pre-1998
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21. Preparation for ODO: Investment Comparison
Japan and UK Air Transport Capability 2006
Japan UK
Tactical 137 Tactical 20
Theatre 16 Theatre 47
Strategic 2 (VIP) Strategic 17
Tankers (4) Tankers 12
Also differences in
quality of air-lift
capabilities
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22. Preparation for ODO: Investment Comparison
Canada and Australia Air Transport Capability
2006
Canada Australia
Tactical 10 Tactical 13
Theatre 25 Theatre 20
Strategic 5 Strategic 4
(plus contracts) Tankers 2
Tankers 7
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23. Preparation for ODO: Investment Comparison
Japan & UK Strategic Sealift & Support Capability 2006
Japan UK
3 Vessels (Oosumi 15 Vessels (6 classes)
class) = 291,600 tons
= 26,700 tons
Also, auxiliary support 12 varied vessels
vessels, 353,600 tons
4 AOE 72,550 tons
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24. Logistical Limitation Examples
Mozambique and Honduras
Mozambique Honduras
Antonov charter ASDF required half
airlift and schedule C-130 force to
airline flights sustain 80-man
C-130s: five days GSDF medical team
No MSDF support, C-130: four days
merchant charter Only one vehicle
and light equipment
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25. 5 Immediate Findings:
Operational Analysis and ODO
Common Issues
Slow deployment and logistical limits
Poor risk assessment and management
in first generation ODO
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26. 5 Immediate Findings:
Operational Analysis and ODO
Common Issues
Slow deployment and logistical limits
Poor risk assessment and management
Highly risk averse: form and function
Poor risk-reduction management
Implicit reliance upon collective security
Explicit rejection of collective security
JDA-MOD/JSDF conflict with MoFA
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27. Watanabe Takashi :The PKO in Cambodia-
Lessons Learned: 101
What is basic common sense for the
militaries of nations taking part in PKOs
is not recognized by Japan...
Japanese PKO personnel were only
able to defend themselves and other
unit members …Moreover, the use of
weapons …was left to the judgment of
the individual, and appeared to be
outside the standards of conduct for
troops.
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28. 5 Immediate Findings:
Operational Analysis and ODO
Common Issues
Slow deployment and logistical limits
Poor risk assessment and management
Inadequate preparations and follow-up
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29. 5 Immediate Findings:
Operational Analysis and ODO
Common Issues
Slow deployment and logistical limits
Poor risk assessment and management
Inadequate preparations and follow-up
Training flaws: climate, vaccination,
multinational ops, languages, security, ODO-
specific issues
Poor intelligence and briefings
Few de-briefs, few lessons learned
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30. 5 Immediate Findings:
Operational Analysis: Negative
Dissatisfaction with MoFA briefings
Little „Learning from Others‟
No PKO Training Centre (~2007)
No „Lessons Learned‟ Centre (~2008)
Little „Recycling‟ of personnel
Poor De-briefing
Poor Rotation System for PKO Dispatch
No extraction force (~2007 ?)
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31. 5 Immediate Findings:
Operational Analysis: Positive
JSDF Innovations
Collective Security by Stealth
(UNTAC, ONUMOZ, Rwanda/
Zaire, UNDOF)
Defrosting „frozen activities‟ (UNMISET)
2001
HQ presence and close cooperation with
non-US partners (ONUMOZ, Iraq)
Local intelligence gathering as CIMIC
(UNTAC, Iraq)
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32. 5 Immediate Findings:
Security Issues and JSDF ODO
Risk Averse
Law, Policy, Missions, Deployments
Risk Negligent
Poor camp/unit security, ridiculous limits
Risk Accepting
Patrolling by another name
Collective Security
De facto collective security
(UNTAC, ONUMOZ, UNDOF, Zaire, Hondur
as)
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33. 5 Immediate Findings:
Operational Analysis: Positive
Technically capable
Water purification
Engineering
Medical assistance
Logistical support
CIMIC (Civilian-Military Cooperation)
Professional
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34. Medical Work of JSDF
Medical Missions
Heavy Zaire/Rwanda
Light Honduras
Non-Medical Missions
Human Security
Human Care
UNTAC Max. 17 medical personnel
- up to 600 patients/day, c.7000 cases in total.
- normal workload = 20~40 cases/day
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35. 5 JSDF Refugee Relief Unit (RRU)
Zaire/Rwanda Sept-Dec 1994
Division Personnel
• In-patients Out-patients
Medical 70 70 2100
Clinical 23
Surgical 18
Hygiene 9
Prevention 16
HQ 4 Combined Daily Average 30
Security 50 Including serious surgery and
Water 43 intensive care
Administration 68
HQ 29
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36. 5 Honduras JDR ODO
17th Nov-10th Dec 1998
Division Personnel
• In-patients Out-patients
• 0 4031
• Daily Average 288
Medical 23
Prevention 15
Support 42
○ Innovation of Tele-medicine (with JSDF Central
Hospital and the GSDF School of Field Medicine)
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37. 6 Broader Findings: ODO and
Japan
Effects of ODO upon the JSDF
JSDF self-confidence
GSDF survey December 1974 ~ January 1975, 15,220 personnel
below rank of Lt. Col.
“Do you feel that the work of the SDF is
meaningful”:
40.3% Not very much; 45.4% Yes, I do;
6.5% Yes, very much so; 7.8% No.
Equivalent surveys in 1995, 1997, and 2000
revealed positive answers above 75% level.
Due both to domestic and overseas operations.
Defense of Japan, 1976, p.118; Defense of Japan 1995~2000, JDA, Tokyo.
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38. 6 Broader Findings: ODO and Japan
ODO Costs
Japan defence budget 2006
$43.7 Billion
Japanese spending (gross), above the
MoFA UN PKO contribution:
UNTAC: 11.8 Billion = $102.6 Million
(@115/$1)
ONUMOZ: 2.2 Billion = $19 Million
(@115/$1)
=0.006~0.16% of Japanese defence budgets (1992-95)
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39. 6 Broader Findings: ODO and
Japan
ODO-Inspired Investments and
Innovations
GSDF: CRF Central Readiness Force
Force Trainer, Force Provider, Force Consumer
~2007
GSDF: Peacekeeping Training Center ~2008
GSDF: LAV and Type-96 APC
ASDF: Freighter-tanker KC-767 (x4) ~2009
MSDF: Oosumi-class (x3) ~1998
Jointery
First Joint ODO 2005 (SEA Tsunami JDR)
Allied Cooperation through ODO
(Functionalism)
UK, Australia, France, RoK, Netherlands etc.
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40. 6 Broader Findings: ODO and
Japan
Personnel and Support Issues
JDA 2007 23,262 staff for 259,590 JSDF
UK MoD 2009 87,000 staff for 187,210 military
Japan MOD has c. three times the ratio of military to
civilians as Australia
MoFA is also much smaller than the British or French
foreign ministries
Japan has very limited and fragmented intelligence
capabilities.
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41. 6 Broader Findings: ODO and
Japan
Effective Actors, Effective Policy?
Generally effective JSDF ODO
Confused and contradictory
policies, laws, and rules
Constitutional fear („code and cloud‟)
What is gained by such limited ODO?
What is the point?
ODO as a strategic device?
The enigma of leadership
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42. Conclusions
JSDF ODO: Low Cost – Medium Return
Introduced new security „horizons‟
ODO as a „Trojan Horse‟ for new norms?
JSDF as Effective International Actors
JSDF stretched by missions
Capability gaps: logistics, „jointery‟, training
etc.
As yet, no militarization of policy
As yet, strategy as speculation