LM Report 2000

Full Report   Executive Summary   Key Findings   Key Developments   Translated Country Reports

JAPAN

Key developments since March 1999: Japan’s funding for mine action programs increased more than 60% to a total of $13.1 million in 1999. Stockpile destruction is underway. Japan has served as the co-rapporteur for the Standing Committee of Experts on Victim Assistance.

Mine Ban Policy

Japan signed the Mine Ban Treaty on 3 December 1997 and ratified it on 30 September 1998. The ratification law also constituted domestic implementation legislation, and took effect 1 March 1999.

The Japanese delegation to the First Meeting of States Parties in Maputo, Mozambique in May 1999 was led by Keizo Takemi, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs. He stated, “It is an extraordinary success that the Convention entered into effect only one year and a few months after its opening for signature, and that it can already boast more than 130 signatories and more than 70 ratifiers. The States Parties should utilize each and every opportunity to urge other states to become party to the Convention.”^[1]

At the meeting Japan was named, along with Nicaragua, as the co-rapporteur of the Intersessional Standing Committee of Experts on Victim Assistance. Japan will become co-chair of that committee at the time of the Second Meeting of States Parties in September 2000. Japan has been an active participant in all of the intersessional meetings.

On 27 August 1999, Japan submitted, on time, its report to the UN as required by Article 7 of the Mine Ban Treaty. On 28 April 2000, Japan submitted its second report, covering the period from 1 April to 31 December 1999.

On 1 December 1999, Japan voted in favor of the United Nations General Assembly Resolution (54/54B) in support of the Mine Ban Treaty, as it had in 1997 and 1998.

Japan ratified Amended Protocol II (Landmines) of the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) on 10 June 1997. Japan attended the First Annual Conference of States Parties to Amended Protocol II in Geneva from 15 to 17 December 1999. In accordance with Article 13 of Amended Protocol II, Japan submitted its annual report on 15 October 1999.

Japan is a member of the Conference on Disarmament and has supported efforts to begin negotiations on a landmine export ban in that forum, but such efforts failed in 1998 and 1999, and appear doomed in 2000.

Japan’s commitment to the mine ban had been led by the interest shown by former Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi, who died on 14 May 1999. (For details on development of Japan’s ban policy see Landmine Monitor Report 1999, pp. 355-357.) On 12 January 2000, during an official visit to Cambodia, the former Prime Minister visited a demining project site. He also attended the official ceremony of the commencement of the antipersonnel landmine destruction program held on 17 January 2000 at Shiga Prefecture, Japan.

NGOs remained active in promoting a mine ban in 1999 and 2000. The Japan Campaign to Ban Landmines (JCBL) activities included research for Landmine Monitor 2000, hosting of symposiums and workshops, participation in the First Meeting of States Parties in Maputo, and publication of the “Landmine Monitor Executive Summary 1999” in Japanese. Association for Aid and Relief-Japan continued to serve on the Coordination Committee of the ICBL and in November 1999 and January 2000 hosted visits by Nobel Peace Laureate Jody Williams, who met Prime Minister Obuchi.

Production, Trade, Use

In the past Japan produced four types of antipersonnel mines, designated Types 63, 67, 80, and 87. The Type 87 is a scatterable mine with three variants. Production was halted in 1997, and Japan reported that manufacturing facilities had been decommissioned by 31 March 1999.^[2] Japan has never exported antipersonnel mines. Japan imported M3 mines from the U.S.^[3] Japan has not used antipersonnel since the establishment of the Defense Force in 1954.

Stockpiling and Destruction

As of 31 December 1999, the Japan Defense Agency (JDA) held 998,866 stockpiled antipersonnel mines.^[4] Japan intends to destroy all the mines, except 15,000 retained for training and research purposes, by 28 February 2003 in compliance with the Mine Ban Treaty.^[5]

This is among the highest number of mines retained by any state party. Japan has said that the mines will be utilized over a ten year period for “training and education for safer and more effective mine detection and mine clearance. Also, if it becomes necessary to develop some equipment for mine detection, mine clearance, or mine destruction, Japan may test such equipment to ensure their proper functioning.”^[6] Japan reported that it had “consumed” 1,148 of the retained mines between 31 March and 31 December 1999, leaving 13,852.^[7]

In addition to the 1,148 mines used for training purposes, another seventy-five mines (Type 63) were destroyed “on a trial basis” prior to 17 January 2000. On 17 January an official ceremony was held to begin the destruction process; in attendance were Prime Minister Obuchi and about 200 other observers.^[8] Plans call for destruction of approximately 220,000 mines between 17 January 2000 and the end of March 2001, an additional 380,000 mines by the end of March 2002, and the final 385,014 by the end of February 2003.^[9]

The JDA’s four-year plan of destruction of antipersonnel mines is summarized in the following table.

Number of Antipersonnel Mines to be destroyed by type^[10]

	Stock as of March 99	To be destroyed by March 2001	To be destroyed by March 2003	To be retained for training
Type 63	28,879	9,232	16,670	2,977
Type 67	586,463	151,544	431,916	3,003
Type 80	326,445	52,812	270,619	3,014
Type87 Scatterable	8,375	2,772	2,600	3,003
Type M3	49,927	6,000	40,924	3,003
Total	1,000,089	222,360	762,729	15,000

^[11] The average cost of destruction per antipersonnel mine, therefore, is 1,889 yen (about $16). Costs for destroying another 380,000 antipersonnel mines by March 2002 are budgeted at approximately 800 million yen (about $6.7 million). This is some 2,105 yen per mine (about $17.50).^[12]

During 1999, the JDA selected three private companies to carry out the first phase of destruction to March 2001: Asahi Chemical Industry Co. Ltd. (Aebano Workshop, Shin Asahi Town, Shiga); Hokkaido NOF Co. Ltd. (Bibai City, Hokkaido); and, Nippon Koki Co. Ltd. (Saigo, Fukushima). Asahi Chemical will destroy 166,776 antipersonnel mines and 151,544 fuses under a $1.7 million contract. Hokkaido NOF will destroy 52,812 mines and 68,044 fuses under a $1.5 million contract. Nippon Koki will destroy 2,772 mines and 2,772 fuses under a $223,000 contract.^[13]

The Japanese government has stated that destruction methods will include explosion and burning, cutting or crushing after disassembling.^[14] Destruction methods will vary depending upon the type of antipersonnel mine, but all explosions will be conducted in secured facilities and not in open-air fields.^[15] The JDA has required all three companies to observe and comply with relevant laws and regulations, such as the Explosives Control Act, Air Pollution Control Act, and Fire Service Law. Companies must receive permission from local authorities to explode mines within their jurisdiction. The JDA will send officials to confirm destruction of antipersonnel mines and relevant local authorities will conduct on-the-spot inspections in conformity with the Explosives Control Law. The JDA has also requested the companies to observe relevant environmental regulations. The dates for destruction will be coordinated between JDA and respective companies. Destruction may be open to the public, and information regarding destruction is to be disclosed by the companies.^[16]

U.S. Antipersonnel Mines in Japan

Japan did not report in either of its Article 7 submissions the presence of U.S. antipersonnel mines in Japan. The U.S. is believed to have some 150,000 self-destructing antipersonnel mines stored in Japan, and perhaps some portion of the 1.2 million non-self-destructing antipersonnel mines that the U.S. is retaining for use in Korea.^[17] Japan has said that it does not have “jurisdictional authority,” so “it continues to be feasible for the U.S. forces to retain any antipersonnel mines withheld and stockpiled in the U.S. bases in Japan.”^[18] Japan has also said with regard to U.S. transiting of mines across Japanese territory, that “because we approve the possession of landmines by the U.S. forces stationed in Japan, it would not be necessary to request a prior notification, and thus the government has no intention of doing so.”^[19]

Mine Action Funding

In his speech to the UN General Assembly on 18 November 1999, Ryuichiro Yamazaki, Alternate Representative of Japan to the United Nations, said that the position of Japan on the issue of assistance in mine action is based on three principles: (1) “Ownership,” or promoting the efforts of mine-affected countries themselves; (2) “Partnership,” or promoting coordination of the activities of agencies of the United Nations, regional organizations, national governments, and NGOs; and (3) “Human Security,” or promoting the survival, well-being, and dignity of all people.^[20]

At the ban treaty signing conference in December 1997, Foreign Minister Keizo Obuchi announced that Japan would contribute 10 billion yen (about $83 million) to mine action programs over the five-year period 1998-2002 in order to achieve the goal of “Zero Victims.”^[21] In 1998, Japan’s financial contribution amounted to 1 billion yen ($8.3 million). In 1999, it rose significantly to 1,577,470,000 yen ($13.1 million), and increase of 63%.^[22] The increase can be attributed to one major project in Cambodia where demining equipment was purchased.

Overall in 1999, Japan contributed to mine action programs in seventeen countries, as well as to the United Nations, Organization of the American States and International Committee of Red Cross. The 1999 contributions were devoted 89% to demining (up 9% from 1998), 9% to mine awareness, and 2% to victim assistance. International organizations received 60%, bilateral programs 30% (all to Cambodia), and non-governmental organizations 10%. The contributions to NGOs included approximately $60,000 to the International Campaign to Ban Landmines for its Landmine Monitor Report 2000.

The Japan Campaign to Ban Landmines has encouraged Japan to restructure its assistance to allow long-term financial commitment, with a greater emphasis on funding victim assistance and non-governmental organizations. The JCBL believes that Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA), from which funding for mine action is made, is primarily geared toward development and humanitarian assistance to governmental, inter-governmental and international organizations who tend to implement demining activities, rather than victim assistance or mine awareness activities that are more often implemented by private, non-profit organizations. JCBL believes that the emphasis on international organizations provides geographic diversity, but has made it difficult to directly monitor implementation and assess further needs on the ground. JCBL also believes that Japan tends to fund items that can be disbursed within a single year, such as purchase of demining equipment, rather than multiple years.

Japan’s Financial Contributions to Mine Action in 1999 (by country/region)

	Contributions Made – U.S. $ in thousands
Country/ Region	Directly to International Organizations	Through International Organizations		on Bilat. Basis	To NGOs	Total
	U.S .$	U.S. $	Name	U.S.$	U.S.$	U.S.$	%
Cambodia						5,664	42.91
Demining	-	900	UNDP/ CMAC	3,920	244(b	5,064
Mine Awar.	-	600	UNMAS/ UNICEF	-	-	600
Laos						200	1.52
Mine Awar.	-	200	UNMAS/ UNICEF	-	-	200
Thailand						476	3.61
Demining	-	400	UNMAS/ UNDP	-	-	400
VA	-	-		-	76	76
Georgia						79	0.60
Demining	-	-		-	79	79
Bosnia Herzegovina						108	0.82
Demining	-	-		-	70	70
Victim Assistance	-	-	-	-	24	24
Mine Awareness	-	14(c	UNICEF	-	-	14
Macedonia						58	0.44
Mine Awareness	-	-		-	58	58
Yugoslavia						100	0.76
Victim Assistance	-	-		-	100	100
Kosovo						1,783	13.51
Demining	-	1,500	UNHCR	-	250(d	1,750
Mine Awareness	-	-			33(d	33
Azerbaijan						500	3.79
Demining	-	500	UNMAS	-	-	500

Mozambique						683	5.17
Demining	-	600	UNDP/ CND	-	83	683
Angola						82	0.62
Demining	-	-		-	82	82
Chad						400	3.03
Demining	-	400	UNMAS/ UNDP			400
Victim Assistance	-	-				0
Yemen						500	3.79
Demining	-	500	UNMAS/ UNDP	-	-	500
Afghanistan						1,411	10.69
Demining	-	1,300	UNOCHA	-	80	1,380
Victim Assistance	-	-		-	31	31
Nicaragua						300	2.27
Demining	-	250	UNMAS/ UNDP			250
Mine Awareness	-	50	UNMAS/ UNICEF			50
Guatemala						200	1.52
Mine Awareness	-	200	UNMAS/ UNICEF			200
Peru/ Ecuador						610	4.62
Demining	-	610	UNDP	-	-	610
Organization of the American States						45	0.34
Demining	35(e			-	-	35
Victim Assistance	10(e			-	-	10
Grand Total						13,199	100.00

Description of Japanese Government’s Contributions to Mine Action
COUNTRY/REGION	Assistance through International Organization(s)	Assistance on Bilat. Basis	Assistance toward NGOs
CAMBODIA	(1) CMAC Demining Activities through UNDP/CMAC Trust Funds; (2) Mine awareness activities of UNMAS/UNICEF through Demining Trust Fund	(1) Demining related equipment to CMAC and deployment of experts to strengthen CMAC's information system; (2) Deployment of an expert in social welfare administration to the Ministry of Social Welfare	(1) Vehicles and other equipment to demining activities of Halo Trust; (2) Transport cost, given to CMAC, of a log removal machine for testing purposes
LAOS	Mine awareness activities of UNMAS/UNICEF through Demining Trust Fund.
THAILAND	Establishment of Thailand Mine Action Center, mine survey, mine database, and other related activities of UNMAS/UNDP through Demining Trust Fund		Rehabilitation of a local hospital for mine affected patients
GEORGIA			Demining vehicles and equipment to Halo Trust
BOSNIA HERCEGOVINA	Mine awareness activities of UNICEF		(1) AAR's reintegration activities of mine victims (equipment for vocational skills training); (2) Vehicles used in demining activities of a local NGO through Handicap International
MACEDONIA			Mine awareness activities of AAR
YUGOSLAVIA			Orthopedic equipment to AAR.
KOSOVO	Demining related activities of UNHCR		Mine awareness activities of AAR
AZERBAIJAN	Activities of UNMAS
MOZAMBIQUE	Demining activities of UNDP and Comissão Nacional de Desminagem		Vehicles (for medical use) used in demining activities of Halo Trust
ANGOLA			Vehicles used in demining activities of Halo Trust
CHAD	Establishment of Chad Mine Action Center, mine survey, mine database, and other related activities of UNMAS/UNDP through Demining Trust Fund
YEMEN	Victims assistance and mine awareness activities of UNMAS/UNDP
AFGHANISTAN	Demining activities of UNOCHA		(1) Vehicles for demining activities of Halo Trust; (2) Medical and orthopedic equipment for activities of a local NGO, Guardians
NICARAGUA	(1) UNMAS/UNDP activities in demining of mines relocated due to the hurricane; (2) Mine awareness activities of UNMAS/UNICEF
GUATEMALA	Mine awareness activities of UNMAS/UNICEF
PERU/ECUADOR	Demining activities of UNDP on the border between Peru and Ecuador

Notes on the tables:

a) The above tables do not include the following financial contributions to cover necessary costs incurred by the following activities on the part of the government of Japan: (1) Dispatch of project formation missions; (2) Dispatch of technical/management experts; and (3) Acceptance of trainees to Japan.

b) This figure includes transport cost for equipment granted to CMAC.

c) In March 1999, the government of Japan contributed $1.2 million to UNICEF, out of which $14,000 was estimated to be allocated to mine awareness activities.

d) Contributions made to NGOs in Kosovo included $250,000 for demining and $33,000 for mine awareness activities.

e) Japan contributed to the Organization of the American States (OAS) for its demining activities and medical assistance to mine victims in Nicaragua, Guatemala, Honduras and Costa Rica: $35,000 for demining and $10,000 for victim assistance.

NGO Mine Action Activities

Association for Aid and Relief-Japan (AAR) has been implementing various projects around the globe. It initiated a project in Cambodia with the objective of enhancing social and economic self-reliance of physically challenged people. AAR also initiated a demining project in Afghanistan (October 1999), and demining and mine awareness projects in Kosovo in collaboration with Halo Trust. AAR’s demining project in Cambodia was phased out in September 1999.

The Japanese Red Cross Society has been supporting a victim assistance program in Cambodia. Humanitarian Orthotic/Prosthetic Endeavour (HOPE) implemented a project in the area of victim assistance in partnership with a Japanese NGO, Phnom Penh no Kai, and two British NGOs, Cambodian Trust and POWER. HOPE has been sending physical rehabilitation prostheses and assistive devices to Cambodia and Laos.

Japan Alliance for Humanitarian Demining Support (JAHDS), a consortium comprised of over sixty industrial and charity groups, has been operational since March 1998. JAHDS has been providing support to Cambodia and Kosovo by supplying mine detectors and other demining equipment. Japan Demining Action has been implementing a mine and UXO awareness project in Cambodia.

[1] Statement by Mr. Keizo Takemi, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, before the Meeting of States Parties to the Ottawa Convention against Anti-personnel Landmines, 3 May 1999.
[2] Report required by Article 7 of the Convention, Form E, submitted 27 August 1999.
[3] Presentation by Mr. Hisao Yamaguchi to the SCE on Stockpile Destruction, 9 December 1999.
[4] Report required by Article 7 of the Convention, Form B, submitted 28 April 2000. Japan’s first report, submitted 27 August 1999, listed 1,000,089 mines.
[5] Article 7 reports, Forms D and F, submitted 27 August 1999 and 28 April 2000.
[6] Presentation by Mr. Hisao Yamaguchi to the SCE on Stockpile Destruction, 9 December 1999. See also, written note to JCBL from Arms Control and Disarmament Division, Foreign Policy Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 15 May 2000.
[7] Article 7 report, Form D, submitted 28 April 2000.
[8] Presentation by Mr. Hisao Yamaguchi to the SCE on Stockpile Destruction, Geneva, 23 May 2000.
[9] Article 7 report, Forms F and G, submitted 28 April 2000.
[10] Information provided by Arms Control and Disarmament Division, Foreign Policy Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Public Information Division, Secretariat of Minister of State for Defense.
[11] This is included in the Fiscal Year 1999 budget. The Japanese fiscal year begins in April and ends in March of the following year. The exchange rate is that used by the government of Japan for 1999: US$1 = 120 yen.
[12] These are funds in the FY 2000 budget. Statement by Kozo Oikawa, Director, Bureau of Equipment, Japan Defense Agency, on the occasion of the Official Ceremony of the Commencement of the Stockpiled Antipersonnel Mines Destruction Program held on 17 January 2000.
[13] Information provided by Public Relations Division, Secretariat of Minister of State for Defense, 17 August 1999. Detailed information about types, quantities and costs of destruction of mines for each company is available.
[14] Article 7 report, Form F, submitted 27 August 1999.
[15] Presentations by Mr. Hisao Yamaguchi to the SCE on Stockpile Destruction, Geneva, 9 December 1999 and 23 May 2000. See also, Asahi Chemical Industry Press Release, 25 October 1999.
[16] Ibid.
[17] See, Landmine Monitor Report 1999, p. 333. Letter and Fact Sheet from U.S. Department of Air Force, 11th Wing, to Human Rights Watch, 26 May 1998, provided in response to Freedom of Information Act request. Additional information supplied to HRW on confidential basis, 1999.
[18] Statement of Akio Suda, Deputy Director-General for Arms Control and Scientific Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, House of Representatives Proceedings Report No. 6, 25 September 1998, p. 2. For more detail, see Landmine Monitor Report 1999, p. 360.
[19] Statement by Nobutaka Machimura, Parliamentary Vice Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, House of Representatives Proceedings Report No. 5, 25 September 1998, p. 9.
[20] Press release by the Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations, 18 November 1999.
[21] Ibid.
[22] Unless otherwise indicated, information regarding Japan’s financial contributions toward mine action was provided by Aid Policy Division, Economic Cooperation Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, January 1999 and 17 March 2000.