MOFA Releases Overview on Japan's International Counter-Terrorism
Cooperation
Tokyo Ministry of Foreign Affairs WWW-Text in English 01 Feb 05
["Overview of Japan's International Counter-Terrorism Cooperation"; from the
"What's New" link]
I. Global Cooperation
1. UN Security Council
The UN tackles counter-terrorism issues, with intensive effort taken by
the UN Security Council. The UNSC adopted the UNSCR 1267 on 15 October 1999
in response to terrorist bombing in Kenya and Tanzania. The Resolution deals
with economic sanction and asset freezing on Taliban related groups and
individuals. After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the UNSC adopted the UNSCR
1373, which set the duties of the member states to address comprehensive
counter-terrorism measures. Japan annually reports its implementation on
counter-terrorism, including domestic measures to combat the financing of
terrorism, to the UNCTC (Counter-Terrorism Committee) established by the
UNSCR 1373.
2. G8
With in the framework of G8, international counter-terrorism cooperation
has been developed in areas including transportation security and technical
assistance to developing countries since G8 leaders issued a joint statement
on September 19, 2001 and instructed relevant ministers to strengthen
counter-terrorism measures.
At the Kananaskis Summit in 2002, leaders of G8 agreed to state
"Cooperative G8 Action on Transport Security" and "the G8 Global Partnership
Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction".
At the Evian Summit in 2003, two statements were completed, "Building
International Political Will and Capacity to Combat Terrorism: G8 action
Plan" and "Enhance Transport Security and Control of Man-Portable Air
Defence Systems (MANPADS): G8 Action Plan".
At the Sea Island Summit this year, "Secure and Facilitated
International Travel Initiative (SAFTI): G8 Action Plan" was adopted. This
Action Plan is comprised of projects in the fields of "Document
Interoperability through International Standards", "International
Information Exchange", "MANPADS Threat Reduction", and "Capacity Building
and Collaboration" including aviation security, port security, and document
security. Currently G8 countries are implementing this Action Plan.
II. Regional Cooperation
1. ASEAN+3, ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and APEC
At the regional level, there has been intensive development of regional
cooperation in the fight against terrorism through frameworks such as
ASEAN+3, APEC and ARF, and Japan has been actively engaged in the activities
in these frameworks.
With regard to ASEAN, Japan hosted the Japan-ASEAN Commemorative Summit
in December 2003, and adopted the Japan-ASEAN Plan of Action, which
addresses enhanced counter-terrorism measures of both parties. In November
2004, Japan and ASEAN issued "the ASEAN-Japan Joint Declaration for
Cooperation in the Fight against International Terrorism", which deals with
enhanced cooperation on counter-terrorism between two parties.
In APEC, leaders condemned the terrorist attacks of the September 11th
attacks, and agreed to take possible measures to fight against international
terrorism ("Leaders' Statement on Fighting Terrorism and Promoting Growth"
in October 2002). As a specific forum dealing with counter-terrorism, the
Counter-Terrorism Task Force (CTTF) has been established within APEC. In
November 2004, the Santiago Declaration was adopted by the leaders at the
summit in Chile, and it addresses their commitment to enhanced
counter-terrorism measures including start of issuance of machine readable
travel documents originally proposed by Japan.
With respect to ARF, ARF has established intersessional meeting on
counter-terrorism (ISM on CT), and adopted "Statement on Cooperative
Counter-Terrorism Action on Border Security". Japan co-hosted the
counter-terrorism Workshop on CT in Tokyo in October 2002, with co-chairs of
South Korea and Singapore, in which lessons of the 2002 Japan-Korea FIFA
World Cup were shared. In the ARF ministerial meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia,
held in July 2004, "ARF Statement on Strengthening Transport Security
against International Terrorism" was adopted.
2. Bali Process (Ministerial Commitment on Counter-Terrorism Issues in
the Asia-Pacific Region)
In February 2004, the Bali Regional Ministerial Meeting on
Counter-Terrorism was held, co-chaired by Indonesia and Australia, for the
purpose of exchanging the views on counter-terrorism issues in the Southeast
Asia. 25 countries in the region and EU participated, and Mr. Aisawa,
Japanese Senior-Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, participated in this
meeting. Participants agreed to enhance their coordination in the legal
frameworks of each country, and cooperation between law-enforcement agencies
in the Asia-Pacific region.
In August 2004, the Legal Issues Working Group (LIWG) was held in
Canberra, Australia, and the Law-Enforcement Working Group was held in Bali,
Indonesia, as follow-up of the ministerial commitment. Japan has become the
coordinator concerning ratification and implementation of international
counter-terrorism Conventions and Protocols in the LIWG, and held the
Seminar on the Promotion of Accession to the International Convention for
the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism in December 2004.
3. Regional Talks
In Japan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and National Police Agency have
held regional counter-terrorism dialogues every year since 1996 (except
2000). Officials from Asia, Pacific, Latin America and Middle East region
have been invited. Participants discussed the issues such as the situation
of Islamic extremism and CT cooperation in Southeast Asia.
III. Bilateral Cooperation
1. Bilateral Dialogues
Since Ambassador in charge of International Counter-Terrorism was
appointed in March 2003, Japan has actively held bilateral and trilateral
consultations on counter-terrorism as followed; May 2002 Japan-ROK
Consultations on CT (Soul)
Aug. 2002 Japan-Australia Consultations on CT (Canberra)
Nov. 2002 Japan-Russia Consultations on CT (Tokyo)
Dec. 2002 Japan-Australia Consultations on CT (Tokyo)
Feb. 2003 Japan-U.S. Consultations on CT (Tokyo)
Jun. 2003 Japan-Russia Consultations on CT (Moscow)
Nov. 2003 Japan-U.S.-Australia Trilateral Talks on CT (Canberra)
Nov. 2003 Japan-Australia Consultations on CT (Canberra)
Oct. 2004 Japan-EU Consultations on CT (Brussel)
Dec. 2004 Japan-Russia Consultations on CT (Tokyo)
Ambassador in charge of International Counter-Terrorism has visited
various countries such as India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines
and Thailand, and exchanged the views on international terrorism with his
counterparts and relevant officials.
2. Adoption of Joint Declaration on Counter-Terrorism
Dec. 2001 EU-Japan Joint Declaration on Terrorism (by heads of government,
at Brussels)
Feb. 2002 Russia-Japan Joint Statement on Combating International Terrorism
(by Foreign Ministers, at Tokyo)
Jun. 2003 Japan - Indonesia Joint Announcement on Fighting against
International Terrorism (by Foreign Ministers, at Tokyo)
Jul. 2003 Australia-Japan Joint Statement on Cooperation to Combat
International Terrorism (by heads of government, at Tokyo)
Nov. 2004 ASEAN-Japan Joint Declaration for Cooperation in the Fight against
International Terrorism (by heads of governments, at Vientiane, Lao PDR)
IV. International Counter-Terrorism Conventions and Protocols
1. 12 Conventions and Protocols on Counter-Terrorism
It is important to ratify and implement 12 international
counter-terrorism conventions and protocols, which criminalize acts of
terrorism, and address obligations of parties to either prosecute or
extradite the terrorist to another country, in order to terminate
safe-heaven of terrorists. In particular, the International Convention for
the Suppression of the Financing on Terrorism is significant in the sense
that the convention criminalizes the acts of financial support for
terrorist, and aims at regulating roots of terrorist activities.
2. Ratification and Implementation
Japan had ratified 10 of them when the UNSCR 1373 was adopted. Following
UNSCR 1373, Japan ratified International Convention for the Suppression of
Terrorist Bombings in November 2001, and International Convention for the
Suppression of the Financing on Terrorism (TFC) in June 2002, and then
completed ratification of 12 international agreements relating to terrorism.
Regarding its implementation of the TFC, some laws are established, and
others are amended. The Act on Punishment of Financing to Offences of Public
Intimidation (Law No.67 of 2002) was introduced for the purpose of punishing
patron of terrorist. Law for Customer Identification (Law No.32 of 2002) was
also made so that anybody whose identity is not clear cannot use financial
institution. Also the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Law was amended to
facilitate information exchange among relevant ministries and agencies for
asset freezing.
V. Fighting the Financing of Terrorism
1. Cooperation in Fighting the Financing of Terrorism
Terminating the funding of terrorism is one of the most important
measures to suppress international terrorism, since it cuts off roots of
terrorist activities. Japan has ratified the International Convention for
the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism. At the same time, Japan
actively joins anti-terrorist financial frameworks within the UN (CTC:
Counter-Terrorism Committee), G8 (CTAG: Counter-Terrorism Action Group) and
the OECD (FATF: Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering), and
contributes to international effort to eradicate terrorist finance.
2. Japan's Asset-Freezing Measures
In addition to ratifying and implementing the TFC, Japan has made full
use of legal instruments to give an end to international terrorism. As of
January 2005, 442 individuals / entities have been covered by the decision
of UN Sanctions Committee on al-Qaeda members, and 28 individuals / entities
have been targeted by the decision of UNSC CTC. In December 2004, the
inclusion of additional names of "JAMA'AT AL-TAWHID WA'AL-JIHAD", which the
Government of Japan submitted for the first time to the UNSC Committee
Established Pursuant to Resolution 1267 concerning Al-Qaeda and the Taliban
and Associated Individuals and Entities with the United Kingdom and Germany,
was approved.
VI. Capacity Building Assistance on Counter-Terrorism
1. Capacity Building: Its Purpose
Some of developing countries cannot afford to arrange counter-terrorism
measures in both international and domestic arena. In order to deny
terrorists a safe haven anywhere in the world, Japan attaches a great
importance to capacity building assistance, especially to the countries in
Southeast Asia.
2. Capacity Building: Japan's Concrete Assistance
Japan has extended capacity building assistance to combat terrorism,
mainly to Asian countries, in the following 9 areas: (1) immigration
control, (2) aviation security, (3) port and maritime security, (4) customs
cooperation, (5) export control, (6) law-enforcement cooperation, (7)
anti-terrorist financing, (8) counter-CBRN terrorism, and (9) international
counter-terrorism conventions and protocols. Japan accepted 235 officials in
FY2001 and 264 officials in FY2002 and received approximately 306 officials
in FY 2003. Examples of Japan's capacity building assistance are as
followed:
(i) Technical Assistance to introduce computer system identifying finger
print, for the purpose of enhancing criminal investigation and
counter-terrorism capacity (about 1 billion yen, in 2003).
(ii) The Seminar on Prevention and Crisis Management of Chemical Terrorism
as a part of cooperation for SEARCCT (Southeast Asia Regional Centre for
Counter-Terrorism)(about 50 officials from ASEAN countries, China and Korea
participated, in Malaysia in July 2004)
(iii) Grant assistance of equipment to strengthen airport and port security
in Indonesia (about 747 million yen, decided in 2004)
(iv) Contribution to FRTFSI (Fund for Regional Trade and Financial Security
Initiative) of ADB (Asia Development Bank), which was agreed to be
established in the APEC summit in 2003 (1 million US dollar, in 2004)
(v) The Seminar on the Promotion of Accession to the International
Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism (about 50
officials from ASEAN and Pacific countries participated, in Tokyo in
December 2004)
January 2005
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