June 4th 2003
Tokyo's Minister of State for Defence SHIGERU ISHIBA spoke about Japan's peacekeeping role at Saturday's Asia Security Conference. This is an edited excerpt.
TO DRAW a map for the future security framework we should build, we have to keep in mind changes to the security environment since the end of the Cold War.
In particular, we should contemplate the fact that the theory of Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD) betrayed a limit - it was a balance of terror based on the vulnerabilities of the parties concerned.
The nullification of the Anti Ballistic Missile Treaty last year was symbolic of such changes. The treaty underpinned the theory of MAD, contributing to global strategic stability.
The lapse of the treaty not only demonstrates that the United States and Russia are no longer enemies, but also symbolises the fact that global strategic environments are changing substantially.
Nations are groping seriously for 'a new strategic framework' and considering how to achieve future strategic stability.
This is a common agenda, concerning the peace and stability of the international community across the board, and a big challenge for all of us.
The Asia-Pacific region, on the whole, has achieved economic development in a steady manner, though there were some economic or political disorders caused by the financial crisis of 1997.
That economic growth has highlighted some regional issues, like how to secure oil and other natural resources, and made each nation recognise the importance of the safety of the sea lines of communication.
Furthermore, there are opaque and uncertain security elements concerning the Korean peninsula, Taiwan Strait, Spratly Islands and others. Moreover, cross-border problems like piracy and narcotics trade are also common regional concerns to be tackled.
As for North Korea, its behaviour demonstrates that it neglects its obligations to the international communities. For example, its declaration of withdrawal from the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
If North Korea does possess nuclear weapons and has indeed finished its reprocessing as it reportedly revealed, the situation poses a grave threat to peace and stability in North-east Asia, including Japan.
Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and United States President George W. Bush agreed when they met last week that continuation of multilateral talks including Japan and South Korea is important.
At the same time, however, in my opinion, a peaceful solution to the issue requires dialogue and pressure, and the US position that all options should be on the table is an understandable one.
There has been in this region an idea calling for building up a Nato-like security structure. When we look over our Asia-Pacific region, we cannot help being impressed by a wide diversity among nations. Many of them are ocean states, and religion, culture, economy, or form of government vary from one country to another.
Therefore, I should say that there will be many hurdles if we try to create a collective security body like Nato immediately. It is more important to have round-tables, such as the Asean Regional Forum, for frank exchanges of views on different subjects, including various security issues, as well as good and sound bilateral talks and further efforts at confidence building.
I appreciate that bilateral talks with the US are vital to the stability of the Asia-Pacific region. Above all, the presence of US forces in the Asia-Pacific region after the end of the Cold War prevents diverse regional instability from emerging.
In this part of the world, controlling ocean resources properly and ensuring the security of sea lines of communication are becoming increasingly important multilateral challenges.
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea has provided an idea for the first time that the oceans are the 'common heritage of mankind', transforming a previously prevalent idea that 'the oceans belong to no one'.
Such issues as natural resources, environment, population, food and refugees are extending threats widely in the region, beyond the borders of nation states, and therefore we have to deal with them in a global manner. Sharing the idea of a 'common heritage of mankind' would be the first step towards solving these issues.
Researchers at Japan's National Institute of Defence Studies proposed in 1997 the idea of ocean peacekeeping. It involves combined maritime operations, by making use of naval assets to police the oceans, to maintain order, prevent armed conflict and ensure the stability and sustainability of the sea.
Although this proposal is not from the government of Japan, I think the idea could contribute to regional stability, promote peaceful use of military forces and build confidence.
I would like to make a few remarks on Japan's future roles in terms of security. Now, at the beginning of the 21st century, witnessing the changes in security environments, we are examining the future roles of Japan's defence forces.
First, the future defence forces of Japan need to be strengthened to respond more effectively to new threats towards Japan and the various contingencies it may face. Secondly, they are required to contribute to maintenance and improvement of the stable international security environments, from which Japan largely benefits.
Deterrence should be sought in the new security environments. How to deter new threats is a common challenge to all of us who are responsible for today's global security.
I think ballistic missile defence (BMD) is effective as one of the measures to deal with those new threats, especially to cope with proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles.
Japan has recently decided to accelerate BMD study. I reckon BMD acts not only as a measure of self-defence but also as a deterrent against new threats. That is, BMD is effective because it will devalue the merit of ballistic missiles, and thus discourage attempts to possess them.
From that viewpoint, I recognise that BMD is important for Japan as its basic policy for national defence is exclusively-defence-oriented.
Since Japan's first participation in a peacekeeping operation, in Cambodia in 1992, Japanese overseas activities, including humanitarian relief, have been expanding gradually.
Although Japan has accumulated good experiences and taken some legal measures to expand the Self-Defence Forces' (SDF) participation, it is fair to say that we should step up our efforts to further meet the changing security environment.
In addition to such activities, the SDF is conducting support operations in the Indian Ocean in the fight against terrorism.
By engaging in peacekeeping activities and current cooperative operations supporting Operation Enduring Freedom, the SDF has demonstrated its capabilities fully.
