Japan's Contribution to UN Peacekeeping Operations (PKO)

In order to play a more proactive role in fostering international peace, Japan enacted the Act on Cooperation with United Nations Peacekeeping Operations and Other Operations (the International Peace Cooperation Act) in June 1992. Since then, Japan has made substantial personnel and in-kind contributions for efforts toward international peace mainly led by the United Nations.
The Act establishes the four pillars of Japan’s international peace cooperation: United Nations Peacekeeping Operations, Internationally coordinated Operations for Peace and Security, International Humanitarian Relief Operations, and International Election Observation Operations. It also provides a system for Japan’s contribution to these operations through dispatching personnel and Self-Defense Forces (SDF) contingent and in-kind contribution to provide necessary supplies.

To establish the domestic framework for extending appropriate and prompt cooperation with UN Peacekeeping Operations, Internationally coordinated Operations for Peace and Security, International Humanitarian Relief Operations and International Election Observation Operations, and thereby enable active contribution by Japan to international peace efforts centering upon the United Nations (Article 1).

The following principles have been arranged to ensure that participation in Peacekeeping Operations is in accordance with Article 9 of the Constitution of Japan.

• (1) Agreement on a cease-fire shall have been reached among the parties to armed conflicts.
• (2) Consent for the undertaking of UN Peacekeeping Operations as well as Japan’s participation in such operations shall have been obtained from the host countries as well as the parties to armed conflicts.
• (3) The operations shall strictly maintain impartiality, not favoring any of the parties to armed conflicts.
• (4) Should any of the requirements in the above-mentioned principles cease to be satisfied, contingent dispatched by the Government of Japan may terminate International Peace Cooperation Assignments.
• (5) The use of weapons shall be limited to the minimum necessary to protect the lives of personnel, etc. When the consent for acceptance is deemed to be consistently maintained, the use of weapons in defense of the mission mandate is allowed in accordance with specific requirements.

The "International Peace Cooperation Assignments" that Japan conducts refer to the following tasks implemented for United Nations Peacekeeping Operations, and Internationally coordinated Operations for Peace and Security, tasks provided below in (13) to (19), (21) and (22) for International Humanitarian Relief Operations, and in (8) and (21) for International Election Observation Operations (Article 3, item 5).

• (1) Monitoring the observance of cessation of armed conflicts or the implementation of relocation, withdrawal or disarmament of armed forces agreed upon among the Parties to armed conflicts;
• (2) Stationing in and patrol of buffer zones and other areas demarcated to prevent the occurrence of armed conflicts;
• (3) Inspection or identification of weapons and their parts;
• (4) Collection, storage or disposal of abandoned weapons and their parts;
• (5) Assistance with the designation of cease-fire lines or other similar boundaries by the Parties to armed conflicts;
• (6) Assistance with the exchange of prisoners-of-war among the Parties to armed conflicts;
• (7) Surveillance, station, patrol, inspections at checkpoints and escorts for the security of specified areas, and for the prevention and suppression of injury or harm against the lives, person and property of local populations, conflict-affected people and other populations requiring protection;
• (8) Observation or management of the fair execution of elections for a representative assembly, referendums or any other similar elections or voting;
• (9) Advice or guidance and supervision related to police administrative matters;
• (10) Advice or guidance and supervision related to correctional administrative matters;
• (11) Advice or guidance and supervision related to legislative, administrative (except for those related to organizations relating to national defense), and judicial matters in addition to what is listed in (9) and (10) above;
• (12) Establishment or re-establishment organizations relating to national defense;
• (13) Medical care including sanitation measures;
• (14) Search or rescue of conflict-affected people or assistance in their repatriation;
• (15) Distribution of food, clothing, medical supplies and other daily necessities to conflict-affected people ;
• (16) Installation of facilities or equipment to accommodate conflict-affected people;
• (17) Measures for the repair or maintenance of facilities or equipment damaged by conflicts, which are necessary for the daily life of conflict-affected people ;
• (18) Measures for the restoration of the natural environment subjected to pollution and other damage due to conflicts;
• (19) Transportation, storage, communication, construction or installation of machines and other apparatuses in addition to what is listed in (1) to (18) above;
• (20） Planning and drafting in headquarters offices or coordination offices conducting United Nations Peacekeeping Operations or Internationally coordinated Operations for Peace and Security, for implementation of tasks listed in (1) to (19);
• (21) Other tasks similar to those listed in (1) to (20) above as specified by Cabinet Order;
• (22) Protection of the lives and bodies of individuals engaging in United Nations Peacekeeping Operations, Internationally coordinated Operations for Peace and Security or International Humanitarian Relief Operations.