JMSDF DEPARTS ON ANTI-PIRACY MISSION - WHAT'S NEXT?

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 TOKYO 000610

SIPDIS

STATE PM FOR AMBASSADOR MULL
STATE PM/PPA FOR GLANCY, HOPKINS, FOSTER, AND O'KEEFE
STATE PM/ISO FOR FREDERICK
STATE EEB/TRA FOR JOHN BYERLY AND STEPHEN MILLER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/18/2019
TAGS: ELTN EWWT MOPS PBTS PGOV PHSA PINR PREL PTER
JA
SUBJECT: JMSDF DEPARTS ON ANTI-PIRACY MISSION - WHAT'S NEXT?

REF: A. 16 MAR 2009 EMBASSY TOKYO DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT

B. 08 TOKYO 3535

C. 13 MAR 2009 EMBASSY TOKYO DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT

D. 5 MAR 2009 EMBASSY TOKYO DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT

E. 08 TOKYO 3405

F. TOKYO 0472

Classified By: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES, a.i. JAMES P. ZUMWALT, REASONS 1.4(B)
and (D).


1. (C) Summary: Two Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Forces
(JMSDF) destroyers departed Japan on March 14 bound for the
Horn of Africa (HOA) region on an anti-piracy mission. The
vessels will operate independently from CTF-151 and other
multi-national efforts in the region, but will interact
closely with other navies on logisitics and communications.
Although initially bound to protect only Japanese vessels or
ships carrying Japanese goods, strong public support for the
mission bodes well for passage of a new law broadening the
JMSDF's mission. While operations experts continue to
finalize logistical in-theater arrangements for the
deployment, JMSDF vessels steam towards what is one of their
most significant operations since their establishment. End
Summary.

-------------- --
Ships Depart, Strong Public Support For Mission
-------------- --


2. (C) At a 14 March ceremony prior to the departure of two
JMSDF destroyers bound for a Horn of Africa anti-piracy
mission, PM Aso told the sailors that the task before them
was "unprecedented" and said he was "confident" that the
mission would help solve the problem of piracy off the coast
of Somalia (ref A). The destroyers are expected to make a
brief port call in Singapore on 21 March and hope to arrive
in the HOA region on approximately 29 March, commencing
escorting operations on 30 March. Significantly, each of the
JMSDF vessels also embarked four crewmembers from the Japan
Coast Guard, a first for Japan.


3. (C) Recent public opinion surveys indicate significant
support among Japanese citizens for anti-piracy operations,
potentially facilitating rapid passage of the new bill. More
than 63 percent of the Japanese public support Self-Defense
Forces participation in anti-piracy operations, according to
a government survey conducted in January 2009. The survey
showed even higher support for anti-piracy missions among
citizens in their 20s, with more than 71 percent saying they
believe the SDF should take part. With approximately 1800
responses, the survey also indicated strong support for the
SDF in general, with nearly 81 percent saying they have a
"good impression" of the Japanese armed services.

--------------
New Legislation and JMSDF Rules of Engagment

TOKYO 00000610 002 OF 004


--------------


4. (C) Japan does not currently have a domestic law
specifically outlawing piracy (ref B) and, as such, the
destroyers will initially be operating under the legal
authority of the Martime Security Operations of Article 82 of
the Self-Defense Forces law. As such, the JMSDF will be
limited to protecting ships either owned by Japanese firms or
with Japanese interests on board, i.e., Japanese citizens or
cargo bound for Japan. (Note: While the JMSDF will be
initially limited to securing Japanese interests and will
operate independently from CTF-151, MOFA and MOD contacts say
that Japan will/will be able to share information on pirate
activities with other naval vessels operating in the region.
End note.) PM Aso, in his speech at the departure ceremony,
vowed to expand the role of the destroyers by speeding
passage of anti-piracy legislation, which was approved by the
Cabinet on 13 March (ref C) and is expected to be submitted
to the Diet by the end of March. The most significant
element of the new law would authorize the JMSDF to protect
third country commercial vessels in addition to Japanese
ships.


5. (C) Ministry of Defense (MOD) interlocutors note that
while the new legislation would relax the rules under which
the recently dispatched destroyers will operate, they
emphasize that there will still be some significant
limitations even if the new law passes. Under the current
rules of engagement, the JMSDF is authorized to shoot at
suspected pirate ships that do not obey initial orders to
cease an approach or attack on a commercial vessel. The new
legislation will maintain this authorization but not permit
the JMSDF to fire directly at pirates themselves (ref D),
potentially limiting the effectiveness of JMSDF interdiction
activities.


6. (C) Other parts of the new legislation identify the Japan
Coast Guard (JCG) as the primary anti-piracy agency, although
the JMSDF can be dispatched on the authority of the Prime
Minister if the situation warrants it. JCG and JMSDF
officers say that because of the JMSDF's greater operational
capability, any mission significantly far from Japan or
requiring naval firepower will almost certainly require the
JMSDF's leadership. Without the addition of more powerful,
long-range vessels, the JCG's international anti-piracy
interaction will likely be limited to the training it
conducts with coast guards from Indonesia, Yemen, and
elswhere.


7. (C) While passage of the new legislation is far from
certain given Japan's continuing political turmoil and the
resitance within some opposition parties to any overseas
dispatch of the Self-Defense Forces, strong public support of
the mission and the acknowledged need to contribute (ref E)
bode well for the bill's chances. Moreover, the bill enjoys
the support of defense experts within the main opposition

TOKYO 00000610 003 OF 004


Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ),three members of which
attended the 14 March departure ceremony. Confusion
surrounding corruption allegations against DPJ leader Ozawa
may further limit the intensity of opposition that the DPJ
can muster.

--------------
Logistical Issues Still Being Worked Out
--------------


8. (C) Japanese vessels are en route to the HOA region, but
many of the logistical issues to support the ships are still
being worked out, Joint Staff Office (JSO) International
Cooperation Office Chief Colonel Mitsuhiko Horikiri said in a
recent brief to Embassy Tokyo. As an example, Horikiri noted
that while it would be ideal for the destroyers to receive
fuel from JMSDF tankers operating in the region supporting
Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF),Horikiri said he was
concerned whether this would be contrary to the tankers'
mission and, as such, violate Japan's anti-terror law. Japan
"still has a lot of homework," Horikiri emphasized, adding
that he and his staff were also deeply engaged in solving the
challenges of Japan's proposed dispatch of P-3 aircraft to
Djibouti (ref F) as well as what actions to take if and when
Japan should arrest and take pirates into custody.

--------------
Comment: Significance to Japan
--------------


9. (C) Japan's departure for the Horn of Africa region is
significant not so much for the actual contribution that two
destroyers (and potentially one or two P-3s in a few months)
will make toward interdicting pirates, but rather for the
number of "firsts" that this mission represents. This is the
first mission in the history of the Self-Defense Forces where
Japanese military will be working side-by-side with Japan
Coast Guard officials, a scenario that many of our contacts
doubted would be feasible even two months ago. In addition,
should plans for dispatch of P-3s to the region prove to be
successful, MOD contacts say they envision possible joint
operations with the JGSDF in a force protection role.
Interaction and communication between the historically
stovepiped services is often very limited, making joint
operations of this nature rare. It is also a first for the
JMSDF to conduct extensive operations so far from Japan's
territorial waters and exclusive economic zone.


10. (C) Initially limited by current legislation in its
ability to protect other nations' commercial vessels, the
anti-piracy mission presents opportunities for the JMSDF to
interact with navies from around the world that is
unprecedented in its scale. Sharing information and
coordinating logistical interactions in a large-scale,
multi-national environment will provide the JMSDF with
invaluable experience that heretofore has been difficult, if

TOKYO 00000610 004 OF 004


not impossible, for Japan to realize. The mission has also,
perhaps unintentionally, created a situation that will
benefit the JMSDF (and the rest of the Self-Defense Forces)
in future operations. Success in anti-piracy operations will
not, in itself, lead directly to an SDF presence in more
dangerous ground operations nor to a long-overdue debate on
collective self-defense. It is, however, a significant step
for Japan's international contributions and should be viewed
first and foremost in this light.
ZUMWALT