Japan, MSDF refueling mission ...[ 547 ]

End of MSDF refueling mission raises questions over Japan's national interests

(Mainichi Japan) January 15, 2010....

Japan's termination of the Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) refueling mission in the Indian Ocean has raised questions over repercussions on national interests.

In Japan, the refueling mission received a cool reception from some critics, who described it as a "free ocean gas stand", but at the same time concerns have been raised that diminishing Japan's presence could hinder the nation's ability to obtain information relating to the war on terror.

"There is a possibility that terrorist information could become harder to come by and it will be a big loss in terms of Japan's national interests," said one former MSDF chief of staff, speaking anonymously.

Under the refueling activities and measures to combat piracy off the coast of Somalia, the Ministry of Defense sent local liaison officers -- who conversed with naval forces from various countries -- to Tampa, Florida, the location of the U.S. Central Command, and to Bahrain, the location of the multinational naval force headquarters. Japan's forces had shared terrorist-related information with several dozen countries, including information pertaining to Afghanistan and Iraq.

However, Japan's withdrawal from the refueling mission means that some of the liaison officers will have to return to Japan, and concerns have been voiced within the Ministry of Defense that access to information vital for Japan's security will drop markedly as a result of the move.

Anti-terrorist activities were launched in 2001 following the terrorist attacks in the United States that year. The International Security Assistance Force, established under a United Nations Security Council resolution, has roughly 70,000 members from 45 counties including the United States, Britain, France and Germany. In addition, 26 Provincial Reconstruction Teams led by 14 countries are operating in Afghanistan, and eight countries including the United States have launched a combat mission dubbed "Operation Enduring Freedom." Part of this is Operation Enduring Freedom-Maritime Interdiction Operation, a monitoring operation aiming to hinder the movements of terrorists and the shipment of illegal drugs. Currently five to six countries are taking part in the operations, and the MSDF had provided fuel and water to those countries' vessels.

For the MSDF, whose activities face many restrictions, refueling was seen as a "low-risk, high-return" venture that would be highly valued by international society, with a low risk of becoming involved in fighting.

At the same time, the activities placed a high strain on MSDF members, some of whom were sent overseas as many as seven times with each mission lasting four to five months. The overall cost of refueling stood at about 24.4 billion yen as of the end of October last year, but refueling had gradually been decreasing each year, and in some months refueling was performed only once. Accordingly, some Defense Ministry workers had questioned the effectiveness of such activities in relation to the high cost.