Sdf of Japan

Extract: over the years since its inception in 1954 the Japanese SDF has undergone a change in diversifying and expanding its activities in tune to the international trends and developments though in a limited manner. And since 2000, their role and activities in fact had increased moving towards becoming a normal military agency under a “normal nationвЂ™Ð²Ð‚™ .The Iraq deployment was a new experience for Japan’s Self Defense Force in that all previous missions for humanitarian aid and reconstruction had been carried out under a UN Peacekeeping Operations framework. The mission therefore provided the SDF with an array of new challenges and learning opportunities.

Introduction: The Defense Agency, the core of Japan’s defense capability is an important and special organization playing the most essential role in the continued survival of the country that is, national defense. The Self-Defense Forces of Japan has traversed a course of 50 plus years since its establishment. Its activities includes responding to incidents like that of suspicious boats, nuclear accidents, various natural disasters, illegal acts, emergency situations, and international activities including not only UN peacekeeping operations but also cooperation in the international efforts for preventing and eradicating international terrorism as well as the efforts for reconstructing the nation of Iraq.

Japan's SDF has actually shifted ahead the time for its use of force from the previous "after being invaded by the enemy" to "being threatened by the enemy", and allowed itself the right to mount "pre-emptive strike" on the enemy. At the same time, the SDF's operation area has been expanded from its own territory to "surrounding areas" and then to farther regions.

Over the years, the SDF has evolved into a modern army of picked troops, advanced equipment and good training. Since the end of the Cold War, along with the acceleration of the pace of Japan's political Right deviation, the country's security policy and the nature and functions of its SDF have all undergone astonishing changes, which have aroused doubts and anxiety among its neighbors and its citizens.

OVERSEAS MISSION FROM 2000-2007:

YEAR DATE SDF Overseas Mission Since 2000:

2000 September 13 SDF personnel dispatched to dispose of abandoned chemical weapons in Biean, China.

2001 February 5 SDF units dispatched to India for International Relief Disaster Operation.

2001 November 9 SDF warship dispatched to the Indian Ocean for information gathering.

2001 November 29 Based on International Terrorism Law, ASDF begins aerial transportation between USFJ bases.

2001 December Based on International Terrorism Laws, MSDF supply vessels begin refueling U.S ships in Indian ocean.

2002 March 2 680 Defense Personnel dispatched on the first Dispatch Engineering Group to East Timor.

2003 December 30 Relief materials transported by air in response to great earthquake in Iran under the law concerning the dispatch of Japan Disaster Relief Teams.

2004 February 3 Departure of first SDF contingent for Iraqi humanitarian and reconstruction support activities.

2004 December 28 MSDF ships dispatched to Thailand’s, Phuket Island to engage in the international disaster relief activities for Indonesia’s Sumatra earthquake and Indian Ocean Tsunami Disaster.

2005 May 2 SDF official takes part for the first time in the multilateral joint exercise �Cobra Gold 05’ conducted in Chiangmai of Thailand.

2005 August 5 Dispatch of a MSDF vessel to conduct international disaster relief activity in connection with the accident of a small submarine of the Russian navy off Kamchatka.

2005 October 12 Dispatched of SDF units to Pakistan to conduct international relief activity for damages from the great earthquake in Pakistan.

2006 June 1 Dispatched of SDF units to Indonesia to conduct international relief activity for damages from the earthquake that occurred in Java.

2007 March 30 SDF personnel dispatched for the United Nations mission in Nepal as military observers.

In October 2001, shortly after the eruption of the "September 11" incident, the Diet promptly passed the government-proposed "law on special anti-terrorism measures", "amendment to the law on the SDF" and "amendment to the law on security agency at sea". Enactment of these laws means to further expand the area for Japan's dispatch of troops overseas sets a precedent for dispatching the SDF at wartime and widens the scope for the use of weapons by the SDF. Working in coordination with US dispatch of troops to Iraq, in July 2003 the Diet formulated a "law on special measures for assistance to Iraq in its reconstruction", according to this law, the SDF, under the circumstance without UN authorization and invitation from the country concerned, moved to Iraq where the flames of war were still raging. The SDF also improved efficiency within its ranks in the spring of 2006 by introducing an integrated command structure that placed all 260,000 SDF personnel under unified command, whereas earlier each of the three arms operated under separate channels and often failed to communicate. Under this framework, a Joint Staff Office within the Ministry will assemble task forces during emergencies to issue orders to the SDF in close collaboration with U.S. forces.

Strategic Objectives:

The National Defense Program Guidelines (NDPG) released in December 2004 provides an effort on the part of the Japanese Defense Ministry to clarify a vision for the SDF’s future security and defense capaÐ'¬bilities. The document cited various threats, such as ballistic missile and nuclear proliferation, international terrorism, and instability on the Korean peninsula, to demonstrate the need for new capabilities and justify the call for continued strategic dialogue with the United States.

In a February 2005 joint statement of the U.S.-Japan Security Consultative Committee (SCC), the two governments noted that Japan’s efforts to respond to new threats in the context of the U.S. global defense posture review underscored the need