THE US-JAPAN-AUSTRALIA CIVIL-MILITARY DISASTER ASSISTANCE WORKSHOPS ATTAIN THEIR OBJECTIVES--CAN WE PUSH FOR MORE?

C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 002508 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/04/2017 TAGS: EAID JA MARR PREL PRM TPHY AOR SUBJECT: THE US-JAPAN-AUSTRALIA CIVIL-MILITARY DISASTER ASSISTANCE WORKSHOPS ATTAIN THEIR OBJECTIVES--CAN WE PUSH FOR MORE? Classified By: Ambassador J.Thomas Schieffer for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d ) ¶1. (SBU) Summary. The U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.S. Embassy/Tokyo co-hosted with the Japan Institute of International Affairs (JIIA) the third U.S.-Japan-Australia Civil-Military Disaster Assistance Workshop on May 30-31, 2007. The first day of the workshop focused on transition or end-state of disaster assistance, i.e., departing the disaster site transferring assistance and responsibilities to the host nation, local authorities and NGOs. The second day of the workshop reviewed the previous workshops which had focused on predeployment planning, and on deployment on-the-ground execution. Through the review, the participants summarized the lessons learned throughout the three phases of humanitarian assistance/disaster relief (HA/DR). Two significant, new participants were involved in this workshop: (1) the &new8 Japanese Ministry of Defense (the Japan Defense Agency became a ministry on 9 January 2007) with its Self-Defense Forces including its newly formed Central Readiness Force, and (2) both Australia Defense and Australian Agency for International Development. All participants reported that the objectives of increased mutual respect, knowledge, and understanding of both civilian and military actors in HA/DR, and the encouragement of the continuous dialogue among U.S., Japanese and Australian civilian and military officers had been attained. The goal of enhancing joint responses to disasters within the Asian Pacific Theater will result from these workshops. The question of whether we expand these workshops to include "complex disasters" in addition to responding to &natural disasters8 remains unanswered. However, many participants and their agencies are eager to move in this direction. End summary. -------------- Background -------------- ¶2. (C) The Japanese media and public have been highly supportive of Japan,s Self Defense Forces engagement, assisting overseas disasters. USAID and the U.S. Embassy has used this opportunity not only to increase the knowledge and understanding between US-Japan bilateral HA/DR, but to encourage the Japan Ministry of Defense/Self Defense Forces, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Japan International Cooperation Agency, and the Japanese NGOs to assume more active roles in disaster assistance as well as in peacekeeping operations and in responding to conflicts. ¶3. (C) Within the US Embassy, STATE, DAO, and AID have been working with Japanese officials towards a common understanding of the security environment in the Asia-Pacific and of global threats (See U.S. Embassy/Tokyo 2008 Mission Performance Plan,s Regional Stability Strategic Goal). STATE, DAO, and AID have agreed to strengthen the U.S.-Japan alliance relationship to meet new and evolving security challenges, and "to seek greater Japanese support for and participation in UN PKO and international humanitarian assistance activities." -------------- U.S.-Japan Civil-Military Disaster Assistance Workshops -------------- ¶5. (U) In July 2006, USAID and the Japan Institute for International Affairs (JIIA),the Ministry of Foreign Affair,s think-tank, held its first US-Japan Civil-Military Disaster Assistance Workshop focusing on predeployment. The highly successful workshop evaluated by the 78 participants led to increased dialogue among the U.S. and Japanese military and civilian officials. This was clearly demonstrated in the field during the HA/DR response in Central Java, where U.S. and Japanese medical relief teams worked together. Another significant result of the first workshop is the increased communication among the Japanese agencies where inter- and intra-communications are often very stove-piped. Since the first workshop, the MOD/Self Defense Forces, the Japan International Cooperation Agency, and the NGO consortia, Japan Platform, began holding monthly meetings to discuss Japan,s HA/DR planning and response. ¶6. (U) On December 13-14, 2006, USAID and JIIA, with the support of the US Embassy Public Affairs and the Tokyo American Center, and the Defense Attach held the second of three US-Japan Civil-Military Disaster Assistance Workshops. This second workshop focused on on-the-ground execution, tools and resources, establishing key contacts. ¶7. (U) On May 30-31, 2007, USAID and JIIA co-hosted, with the support of the U.S. Embassy Public Affairs and the Tokyo American Center and the Defense Attach the third workshop, focusing on transition or end-state. The participants also reviewed the three phases of HA/DR from predeployment planning through execution and transition. -------------- Participants--Critical to Success -------------- ¶8. (U) The U.S. participants represented officers from the U.S. Pacific Command; U.S. Seventh Fleet; the Navy Maritime Civil Affairs Group (MCAG) Little Creek, VA; III Marine Expeditionary Forces (IIIMEF); Pacific Air Forces (PACAF); U.S. Forces Japan (USFJ); the USAID/DCHA Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA)-Washington and Bangkok; and US Embassy/Tokyo (Defense Attach, Political/Military, Public Affairs and Tokyo American Center, and USAID.) Representatives from the International Medical Corps (Santa Monica, CA) also participated. The Japanese participants included the Ministry of Defense (MOD) civilians, the MOD Joint Staff Office (JSO),Japanese Air Self Defense Force (JASDF),Japanese Ground Self Defense Force (JGSDF),Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF),and the Japanese Central Readiness Force. Senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA),the Cabinet Office, and the Japan International Cooperation Agency participated. Also participating were officials of the Japan Institute of International Affairs and NGO representatives of the NGO consortia-Japan Platform, Peace Winds-Japan and the Japan Association for Aid and Relief (AAR). ¶9. (U) The Chief of the Civil-Military Coordination Section of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA)-Geneva and the Senior Regional Program Advisor of the World Food Program (WFP)-Bangkok participated. Japan WFP representatives also participated. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) also had a representative. ¶10. (U) In order to strengthen the US-Japan-Australia Trilateral Strategic Dialogue, USAID invited Australian senior military officers from the Australian Defense Force Warfare Centre and from the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID). In responding to natural disasters in the Asia-Pacific, Australia is a key partner to the U.S.-Japan Civil-Military HA/DR response. ¶11. (U) In addition to the above participants from the U.S., Japan and Australia, and in addition to the key U.N. organization representatives, USAID invited Dr. Pujiono of Indonesia. Dr. Pujiono, who has worked from UNOCHA and UNDP, represented the &host nation8 providing the critical perspective of the nation in crisis, asking and receiving assistance, setting the parameters and timelines of HA/DR. Dr. Pujiono presently is working with the Indonesian Government to prepare its Disaster Assistance Plans and Guidelines. -------------- Accomplishing Our Objectives -------------- ¶12. (U) Presentations and discussions focused on the U.S., Japanese, and Australian military and civilian, and U.N. HA/DR frameworks and operations. HA/DR case studies of the Pakistan earthquake, Central Java earthquake, Indian Ocean tsunami, Solomon Islands tsunami, Leyte mudslide were SIPDIS actively discussed. Key to assistance planning, execution and transition were the discussions and presentations by the NGOs, host nation, and the U.N. agencies. Representatives from USAID,s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) facilitated interactive exercises in planning, execution and in reaching the end-state while remaining flexible. Throughout the workshop, Japanese, American, and Australian and U.N. participants prepared and discussed response options, exploring ideas for US-Japan-Australian cooperation. The participants reported high satisfaction with all three workshops, with the culminating third workshop being excellently presented. The participants also reported that the dialogue within as well as among the national groups continues to be pivotal to building trust and confidence and to increasing the "intra-" and inter-" dialogue and reducing the stove-piping. Key to workshop success has been the opportunity to discuss informally with others, whether from one,s immediate office or from another nation, whether civilian or military. ¶13. (U) The Third Workshop closed with an address by MOD JSO J3 Lieutenant General Koji Shimohira who announced that as a result of these workshops the MODA would hold a table top exercise in December 2007 and a command post exercise in 2008 on humanitarian assistance/disaster relief. ¶14. (U) Ambassador Schieffer hosted a reception for the participants plus the invited senior members and officials from the Diet, the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Cabinet, and the NGO and academic communities. All participants and other invited guests had the opportunity to discuss informally how the U.S., Japan, and Australia, civilians and military, could partner in responding to disasters. -------------- Next Steps -------------- ¶15. (U) After these US-Japan-Australian civil-military workshops, U.S., Japanese, Australian and U.N. participants are even more enthusiastic--eager to build further respect, knowledge and understanding within and among each other. This respect, knowledge and understanding, followed by a continuous dialogue, will enhance US-Japan-Australian HA/DR operations in the Asian and Pacific Theater. USAID/Tokyo is continue to actively engage the various Japanese, U.S. and Australian entities represented at the Workshop, to continually improving the contact lists in the case of future disasters abroad or in Japan. ¶16. (C) All participants encouraged the continuation of the US-Japan-Australia civil-military disaster assistance workshop every six to nine months. Many of the participants have expressed that the civil-military dialogue should be expanded to include &complex disasters8, or man-made disasters such as Darfur, Timor Leste, and Afghanistan. Other participants, although fewer, have expressed that the dialogue should continue its HA/DR focus on natural disasters. Each participating country handles differently natural and man-made disasters, within its ministries and departments. We do envision that with more confident and competent joint HA/DR operations, and with continuous dialogue, the U.S., Japan, and Australia will be working together in peacekeeping and conflict areas. SCHIEFFER