Key developments since May 2003: In 2003, Japan contributed
¥2.31 billion (US$18.9 million) to mine action—a 58 percent decrease
from 2002, but still Japan’s second highest annual total ever. Japan did
not report any funding for survivor assistance projects in 2003. Japan hosted
an International Seminar on Mine Action Aid on 3-4 March 2004. In September
2003, Japan became co-chair of the Standing Committee of Mine Clearance. Japan
opposed efforts to reach common understandings on Articles 1, 2, and 3.
Key developments since 1999: Japan exceeded its five-year mine action
funding pledge, contributing ¥10.48 billion (US$92.6 million) from
1998-2002. In February 2003, Japan completed destruction of 985,089 stockpiled
antipersonnel mines. It decided to retain 15,000 antipersonnel mines for
training and research purposes, one of the highest number of mines retained by
any State Party. Between 1999 and the end of 2003, Japan consumed 6,641 of
these mines. Japan served as co-rapporteur and then co-chair of the Standing
Committee on Victim Assistance from May 1999 to September 2001, and of the
Standing Committee on Mine Clearance from September 2002 to December 2004.
Japan has been prominent among the States Parties opposed to the efforts to
reach common understandings on Articles 1, 2, and 3.
Mine Ban Policy
Japan signed the Mine Ban Treaty on 3 December 1997, ratified on 30 September
1998, and the treaty entered into force for the country on 1 March 1999.
Japan first expressed its support for an international ban on antipersonnel
mines in 1996. However, in 1997 Japan was reluctant to take part in the Ottawa
Process and only decided to participate in the negotiations in Oslo a few days
before they began on 1 September, and only after the United States announced it
would participate. At the negotiations Japan supported a number of US proposals
that would have severely weakened the treaty. Japanese policy shifted after
Keizo Obuchi became Foreign Minister following the negotiations in September
1997. He initiated a policy review among relevant ministries, and on 27
November Japan announced it would sign the Mine Ban Treaty. Mr. Obuchi
participated in the signing ceremony in December.
After becoming Prime Minister in July 1998, Mr. Obuchi pushed to ratify the
treaty quickly, and to pass domestic implementation legislation. The Law on the
Prohibition of the Production of Antipersonnel Landmines and the Regulation of
their Possession was passed by the Diet on 30 September 1998, and entered into
force on 1 March 1999. The Japan Campaign to Ban Landmines (JCBL) expressed
concerns that the law was not as comprehensive as
desired.[1]
Japan has voted in favor of every pro-ban UN General Assembly resolution,
including Resolution 58/53 on 8 December 2003. Japan has actively participated
in every annual Meeting of States Parties, and every intersessional Standing
Committee meeting. At the Fifth Meeting of States Parties in September 2003,
Japan became co-chair of the Standing Committee on Mine Clearance, Mine
Awareness and Mine Action Technologies, together with Cambodia. Japan served as
co-chair of the intersessional Standing Committee on Victim Assistance,
Socio-Economic Reintegration and Mine Awareness from September 2000 to September
2001. Japan continues to be an active member of the informal Universalization
Contact Group.
On 27 April 2004, Japan submitted its annual Article 7 transparency report,
covering calendar year 2003. Japan utilized voluntary Form J to report on its
victim assistance and mine risk education efforts from 1998 to 2003. This was
Japan’s sixth Article 7
report.[2]
In its role as co-chair of the Standing Committee on Mine Clearance, the
Japanese government hosted an International Seminar on Mine Action Aid on 3-4
March 2004. The seminar brought together representatives of donors,
mine-affected countries, international organizations engaged in mine action and
mine action NGOs to review current mine action activities and explore more
effective ways to benefit mine-affected communities. The Japan Campaign to Ban
Landmines regretted that NGOs had limited opportunities to contribute to the
discussion.
ICBL Issues of Concern
Japan has been one of a handful of States Parties to strongly oppose efforts
to reach common understandings regarding interpretation of Article 1, 2 and 3 of
the Mine Ban Treaty. In June 2004, Japan objected to a proposal on these issues
by the co-chairs of the Standing Committee on General Status and Operation of
the Convention. It said that the proposed clarifications amount to new rules
and requirements and would prevent some countries from acceding to the treaty in
the future. Japan also noted, “The current provisions reflect a subtle
balance and compromise arrived at through lengthy negotiations. Therefore a
certain degree of abstraction is indispensable, as is always the case in
multilateral treaties, so that many States facing different conditions can
coexist in the same legal
framework.”[3]
Article 1. In response to the ICBL’s letter concerning
Japan’s position on possible use of mines by a non-State Party in joint
military operations with a State Party, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted
that under Article 9 of its Constitution Japan cannot deploy armed forces
outside of its territory and cannot participate in any joint military
operations.[4] Regarding the
issue of a prohibition on transit of antipersonnel mines by a non-State Party,
Japan has said that any US mines stockpiled in Japan are not under Japan’s
jurisdiction or control, thus it has no responsibility to prevent or prohibit
the transportation of landmines by US military
forces.[5]
Article 2. At the 2003 Standing Committee meetings, Japan reiterated
its position that antivehicle mines with sensitive fuzes or antihandling devices
should be dealt with in the Convention on Conventional Weapons, not the Mine Ban
Treaty. Japan opposed a proposal by the International Committee of the Red
Cross to do expert work on antivehicle mines with sensitive fuzes within the
Mine Ban Treaty context.[6] In
1998, during a Parliamentary hearing on the domestic legislation, the government
stated that any mine equipped with an antihandling device would be considered
illegal.[7]
Article 3. Japan has expressed reservations during State Party
discussions about reaching a common understanding that in retaining “the
minimum number absolutely necessary” for training and development, States
should keep hundreds or thousands, or less, and not tens of thousands of
antipersonnel mines. Japan believes that such an understanding might
“alienate those Non States Parties which are seriously considering
adherence but hesitate for fear of not being able to achieve the existing goals
set in the
Convention.”[8]
Japan is a State Party to Amended Protocol II of the Convention on
Conventional Weapons and has attended all annual meetings. On 10 July 2003,
Japan ratified Amended Article 1 of the CCW. In October 2003, Japan submitted
its annual Amended Protocol II Article 13 Report. In November 2003, Japan
agreed to the new Protocol V on Explosive Remnants of War, but has not yet
ratified it. Japan has supported the proposal for new restrictions on mines
other than antipersonnel mines, and the proposal to continue the work of the
group of governmental experts to consider ways and means to deal with problems
caused by explosive remnants of
war.[9]
The Japan Campaign to Ban Landmines, a coalition of nearly 50 NGOs, has been
actively engaged in monitoring the government’s implementation of the Mine
Ban Treaty. NGOs in Japan have also played an important role in raising public
awareness through public events, lectures, seminars, petitions, sports events,
publications and fundraising. In 2003, the JCBL launched an Assistance
Initiative for a Mine Free Asia, to support projects that contribute to
universalizing the Mine Ban Treaty and/or support Asian campaigners. In
February 2004, the JCBL held a two-day seminar to train new campaigners.
Yasuhiro Kitagawa, coordinator of the JCBL, was awarded the “Asahi Social
Welfare Prize” in 2003 by Asahi Shimbun Publishing for his achievements as
a leader of the mine ban campaign in
Japan.[10] In July 2003, the
highly regarded book publisher IWANAMI published, “The Landmine and Human
Being,” a booklet by the JCBL on the mine problem and the results achieved
by the JCBL.
The JCBL has regularly translated into Japanese the Executive Summary of the
Landmine Monitor Report and the chapter on Japan. The Association for
Aid and Relief (AAR) served on the Coordination Committee of ICBL from 1998until September 2003.
Production, Transfer, Stockpiling and Use
In the past Japan produced four types of antipersonnel mines, designated
Types 63, 67, 80 and 87. The Type 87 is a scatterable (remotely delivered)
antipersonnel mine deployed by helicopters. Production of antipersonnel mines
by Japan stopped in 1997 and production facilities were decommissioned by 31
March 1999.[11] Japan has never
exported antipersonnel mines. Japan imported M3 mines from the US. Japan has
not used antipersonnel mines since the establishment of the Self-Defense Forces
in 1954.
Japan possessed 1,000,089 antipersonnel mines in its stockpile. A total of
985,089 stockpiled antipersonnel mines were destroyed in a process that started
17 January 2000 and was completed on 8 February
2003.[12] The Japan Defense
Agency contracted three private companies to carry out the stockpile
destruction: Asahi Chemical Industry Co., Ltd; Hokkaido NOF Co., Ltd.; and
Nippon Koki Co. Ltd. The total amount allocated for destruction was ¥ 2.068
billion (US$17.8 million).
Japan decided to retain 15,000 antipersonnel mines under Article 3 of the
treaty for training and research purposes, one of the highest numbers of mines
retained by any State Party. Between 1999 and the end of 2003 Japan consumed
6,641 of these mines (1,148 in 1999, 1,339 in 2000, 1,290 in 2001, 1,610 in
2002, and 1,254 in 2003).[13] As
of December 2003 Japan had retained 8,359 antipersonnel
mines.[14] Japan has told JCBL
that these mines are necessary to conduct training on safe mine detection and
mine clearance, as well as to examine the performance of hardware for mine
detection and clearance.[15]
Mine Action Funding
In 2003, Japan contributed ¥2,309.9 million (US$18.94 million) to mine
action.[16] While that is a 58
percent decrease from 2002 (¥5,536.8 million or $49.71 million), it is
still Japan’s second highest annual total for mine action funding by a
wide margin.
For 2003, nearly 65 percent of the contribution, ¥1,494 million, was
allocated to mine clearance projects. Thirty-one percent, ¥720 million,
went to research and development of mine detection and demining equipment in
Afghanistan and Cambodia; Japan had allocated no funds to research and
development in 2002. The remaining 4 percent, ¥96 million, was allocated
to Mine Risk Education. In 2003, Japan did not report any funding for survivor
assistance projects.
At the Standing Committee on Mine Clearance in June 2004, Japan reported that
it has been the second biggest donor for the UN Voluntary Trust Fund for
Assistance in Mine Action (VTF) with a contribution of $23.7 million as of June
2004. At the same time, Japan provided an update of its mine action
contributions totaling ¥1,418 million ($12.3
million).[19] This included
$8.7 million to Afghanistan, $1.138 million to Cambodia; $1.357 million to Sri
Lanka; $252,000 to Tajikistan; $82,000 to Mozambique; $674,000 to Sudan, $17,000
to the OAS for Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, and Costa Rica, $81,000 for
Angola, and $26,000 for
Thailand.[20]
In December 1997 during the Mine Ban Treaty signing ceremony, Japan pledged
to contribute ¥10 billion to mine action over five years (1998-2002). With
its record level of spending in 2002, Japan exceeded the target with a total of
¥10.484 million ($93 million). For the most recent five years (1999-2003),
Japan contributed ¥12.061 million ($105 million.) Before signing the Mine
Ban Treaty, Japan contributed about $28 million to mine action, from 1993 to
1997.[21] Thus, in total, Japan
has contributed about $140 million to mine action, from 1993 to 2003.
With the end of the initial five-year pledge, the JCBL urged the government
to commit to a new five-year plan. However, in March 2003 a Japanese government
official stated that Japan does not intend to establish a long-term plan for
mine action funding. This was repeated in June
2004.[22]
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) is
financially supporting ten universities and two industries in a research program
to develop a sensor for mine detection, as well as access and control technology
for detecting and clearing mines using a robot with multiple legs mounted with a
sensor and a remote control
machine.[25] The results of the
on-going research were shown to the public on 25 June 2003 and on 10 June 2004
at the conference hall of the Waseda University in Tokyo. The goal is to carry
out field tests of the equipment in a mine-affected country within three to five
years of the project start-up date in 2002. From 13-18 July 2002, a MEXT study
group conducted a needs assessment for a demining operation in
Afghanistan.[26] The financial
subsidy for 2002 and 2003 was estimated at about ¥400 million ($3.4
million).
In addition, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) is providing
funds to cover part of the expenses for six industries for research projects on
Integrated Mine Detectors, Mine Detection Vehicles and Demining machines. On 12
December 2003 in Aomori prefecture, official field tests of newly developed
equipment were publicly held in cooperation with the Japan Defense
Agency.[27] In April 2004, the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs assisted field tests of some of the equipment in a
mine-affected country. METI expects the completion of the research before March
2005, and to put these technologies on the market one year later. The estimated
financial subsidy for 2002, 2003 and 2004 is about ¥700 million (US$6
million).[28] These R&D
activities by MEXT, METI, MFA and JDA are coordinated by the Cabinet Office of
the Japanese government.[29]
Survivor Assistance and NGO Mine Action Activities
The Association for Aid and Relief (AAR Japan) continued to support survivor
assistance and mine action programs in Asian and African countries. In
Afghanistan since October 2003, it has developed mine risk education (MRE)
materials in cooperation with the United Nations Mine Action Center for
Afghanistan. MRE materials, including brochures and booklets, are used by
schoolteachers, community volunteers and NGOs. In previous years AAR operated
three MRE teams in cooperation with HALO Trust. Since August 2002, AAR has run
two physiotherapy clinics in Takahr Province for persons with disabilities,
including landmine survivors. In Cambodia, AAR has been running the Kien
Khleang Vocational Training Center since 1993 as well as a wheelchair workshop.
It has also been operating another vocational training center for persons with
disabilities in Yangon, Myanmar (Burma) since 1999. In Laos, AAR has a
wheelchair provision project at the National Center for Medical Rehabilitation,
with the support of JICA. In 2003 AAR implemented Mine Risk Education for
Angolan refugees in Meheba Refugee Settlement, Zambia returning to their
mine-affected homeland. The “Zero Landmine” project launched in
2001 together with other organizations continues to fund mine action programs
conducted by HALO Trust in Cambodia, Mozambique and Georgia, and in 2003 also by
the Mines Advisory Group in
Angola.[30]
Cambodia Mines-Remove Campaign (CMC) raised funds and directly supported
mine-affected communities in Cambodia. In 2003, a staff member supervised the
construction of three school classrooms and made an assessment for an
agricultural project in mine-affected Kubalmous village in Battambang. CMC also
provided $5,000 to the Italian NGO Emergency hospital in Battambang, and $10,000
to the Mines Advisory Group. CMC raised funds through educational activities in
schools, lecture meetings, and photo exhibitions all over the country as well as
sports events such as a charity baseball
game.[31]
The Humanitarian Orthotic/Prosthetic Endeavour (HOPE) has supported
assistance programs for persons with disabilities in Thailand since 2001, in
Cambodia since 1993 and in Laos from 1998 to 2002. In Thailand one project
established a BS Degree program in Prosthetics and Orthotics at the National
Mahidol University in cooperation with the National Sirindhorn Medical and
Rehabilitation Center. The program started in June 2002 with twelve students.
HOPE also supported a training program aimed at upgrading the skills and
knowledge of Thai prosthetics and orthotics technicians. The two programs are
funded by the Nippon Foundation. In Cambodia, HOPE provided expertise in
prosthetics and orthotics and trained Cambodian nationals until the end of June
2003.[32]
The Japan Alliance for Humanitarian Demining Support (JAHDS), a consortium of
industrial and charity groups, supported projects in Cambodia, Thailand and
Kosovo. In Thailand, JAHDS managed and coordinated planning and implementation
of a demining project for the first time. From December 2002 to January 2004,
JAHDS carried out a mine clearance project in partnership with the Thailand Mine
Action Center and the General Chatichai Choonhavan Foundation. It cleared a
total of 407,472 square meters around the ancient Khmer Sadok Kok Thom temple in
Sa Kaeo Province. The total budget was US$1,393,088; the Japanese government
funded 46 percent of the budget and JAHDS raised 30 percent. In September 2004,
the Sadok Kok Thom demining project was the demonstration site for the
participants of the Fifth Meeting of States Parties held in
Bangkok.[33]
The Japan Mine Action Service (JMAS), a group of retired Japan Self Defence
Force members, was established in 2002 and has conducted clearance in Cambodia
in collaboration with the Cambodia Mine Action Center. Two JMAS teams cleared
10,103 UXO as well as 37 landmines between April 2003 and February 2004. JMAS
intends to scale up its capacity to six UXO teams in 2004.[34]
In 2003, the Japanese Red Cross Society (JRCS) supported the ICRC’s
Physical Rehabilitation Center in Battambang, Cambodia with ¥10,000,000
(about $86,000).[35] JRCS also
supported the center in previous years. The JRCS has been making extensive
efforts to integrate promotion of the landmine ban into its training courses and
seminars for the 2.35 million Junior Red Cross members (kindergarten through
high school) all across Japan.
The Kumamoto Landmine Clearance Campaign (KLCC), founded in 1999, holds at
least two campaigning events each year. In 2003, KLCC activities included a
study tour to Cambodia, a Cambodian traditional dance performance, the “No
More Landmine Day” event, and the Annual Charity Run & Work. KLCC
donated US$10,000 to Cambodia Trust, $10,000 to Concern Worldwide Cambodia and
$5,000 to HALO in Cambodia. It also provided financial support to a private
school in Cambodia run by landmine
survivors.[36]
The Yokohama YMCA Anti-personnel Land Mine Association (ALF) financially
supports humanitarian aid activities in Cambodia and Afghanistan. In 2003, it
organized its fifth annual charity concert, as well as several workshops and
photo exhibitions on
landmines.[37]
In 2003, JCBL donated ¥561,837 ($4,800) to Nonviolence International
Southeast Asia for mine risk education on the border between Thailand and Burma,
and $5,000 to Nonviolence International Bangladesh to research the landmine
problem in Bangladesh. JCBL supported the Organization for Mine Clearance and
Afghan Rehabilitation (OMAR) mine risk education project for women and children
in Afghanistan.
The Mulindi Japan One Love Project (MJOLP) has been running the Prosthetics
and Orthotics Center in Kigali, Rwanda since 1997. In August 2003, the MJOLP
mobile service visited all twelve provinces of the country. The MJOLP also
promotes sports for persons with disabilities, and trained athletes for the 2004
Athens Paralympics
Games.[38]
Landmine Casualties
Japan has not reported any incidents involving Japanese nationals killed or
injured by landmines or unexploded ordnance since 1997.
[1] See Landmine Monitor Report 1999, pp.
357, 359-360. [2] Previous Article 7
reports were submitted on: 28 April 2003 (for calendar year 2002); 24 April 2002
(for calendar year 2001); 21 June 2001 (for calendar year 2000); 28 April 2000
(for the period 1 April – 31 December 1999); and 27 August 1999 (for the
period 1 March – 31 March
1999). [3] Statement by Amb. Yoshiki
Mine, Head of Delegation of Japan to the Conference on Disarmament, to the
Standing Committee on the General Status and Operation of the Convention,
Geneva, 25 June 2004. [4] Written
response to JCBL from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 8 May
2003. [5] Written response to JCBL by
Arms Control and Disarmament Division, Foreign Policy Bureau, Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, on behalf of the Minister, 20 September
2001. [6] See Landmine Monitor Report
2003, p. 302. [7] Statement by
Masatada Hirose, Machinery and Information Industries Bureau, Ministry of
International Trade and Industry, House of Representatives Proceedings Report
No. 6, 25 September 1998, p. 7. See also, Landmine Monitor Report 1999, p.
360. [8] Statement by Japan, Standing
Committee on the General Status, 25 June
2004. [9] Statement by Amb. Kuniko
Inoguchi, CCW Meeting of States Parties, Geneva, 27 November
2003. [10] Asahi Shimbun, 4 January
2004. [11] Article 7 Report, Form E,
27 August 1999. [12] For details on
the stockpile destruction see Landmine Monitor Report 2003, p.
303. [13] Written response to JCBL
from the Weapons and Warships Division, Bureau of Equipment, Japan Defense
Agency, 19 May 2004 and Article 7 Report, Form F, 27 April
2004. [14] The mines included 1,649
Type 63 mines, 1,674 Type 67 mines, 1,686 Type 80 mines, 539 Type 87A mines, 525
Type 87B mines, 614 Type 87C mines, and 1,672 Type M3
mines. [15] Response by Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, 20 September
2001. [16] MAI Database, “Annual
Donor Report for Japan;” Written response to JCBL from the Humanitarian
Assistance Division, Multilateral Cooperation Department, Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, 24 February 2004. [17] MAI
Database, “Japan;” Response from Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 24
February 2004. [18] A special exchange
rate, other than US$1=¥122 for the year 2002, was applied to this project.
Verbal response to JCBL from the Humanitarian Assistance Division, Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, 9 August 2004. [19]
Statement by Japan, Standing Committee on Mine Clearance, Mine Risk Education,
and Mine Action Technologies, Geneva, 22 June 2004. ¥ to US$ conversion
done by JCBL. [20]
Ibid. [21] MAI Database, “Annual
Donor Report for Japan.” [22]
Statement by Japan at the Standing Committee on Mine Clearance, 22 June 2004;
Statement by Lt. Col. Ryo Takahashi, Permanent Representative of Japan on
Disarmament, to “Building a Cooperative Future for Mine Action in
South-East Asia” Regional Seminar, Phnom Penh, 28 March 2003. Before the
seminar, the JCBL sent a letter to Prime Minister Koizumi, urging him to
announce a new contribution plan by the Fifth Meeting of States Parties in
September 2003. [23] US dollar
amounts are based on fiscal year fixed exchange rates provided by the Japanese
government: US$1=¥118 in 1999, ¥120 in 2000, ¥105 in 2001,
¥107 in 2002, and ¥118 in 122 in 2003. But, for projects which were
committed between 1 January and 31 March, the exchange rates of the previous
fiscal years were applied, because this period belongs to the preceding fiscal
year. Written response to JCBL from the Humanitarian Assistance Division,
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 9 August
2004. [24]
Ibid. [25] Information on Japan
Science and Technology Agency website. JST is the operating agency of
MEXT. [26] Letter from Ministry of
Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, in response to written
questions sent by JCBL, 15 April
2003. [27] Presentation by Takehiko
Matumura, Director, METI, Tokyo Seminar on Landmines, 5 March
2004. [28] Information from the New
Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) website. NEDO
is the operating agency of METI. [29]
Presentation by Japan Science and Technology Agency at Waseda University, 10
June 2004. [30] Email from Yoshiteru
Horie, AAR, 6 April 2004. [31] Email
from Kenji Otani, President, CMC, 6 April
2004. [32] Email from Eiji Tazawa,
HOPE, 2 April 2004. [33] Email from
Daisuke Imahoko, JAHDS, 13 April
2004. [34] Email from Yoshinao Doi,
President, JMAS, 1 April 2004. [35]
Email from Akiko Harasawa, Planning and Coordination Division, International
Relations Department, JRSC, 26 March
2004. [36] Email from Hiroko Saisho,
President, KLCC, 6 April 2004. [37]
Email from Nagako Okado, Representative, ALF Yokohama,19 March
2004. [38] MJOLP Newsletter, No.26,
September 2003, and No.27, March 2004.
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