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.

Section 2Ensuring Maritime Security

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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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383 DEFENSE OF JAPAN 2017

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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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