Japan's Official Development Assistance White Paper 2010
(6) Transnational Crime and Terrorism
With globalization, the progress of high-tech devices, and the increasing movement of people, international organized crime and terrorism have become threats to the international community as a whole. International organized crime, including the illicit trade of narcotics and firearms, illegal immigration, trafficking in women and children, smuggling of cash, forgery of currencies, and money laundering, has been becoming increasingly diverse and sophisticated in its methods in recent years. As for terrorism, the power of the international terrorism organization Al Qaeda and related organizations can no longer be disregarded, and extremist activities by organizations that have been influenced by the ideas and terrorism methods of Al Qaeda have become a new threat. In effectively responding to international organized crime and terrorism that are advancing across national borders, efforts by a single country would be limited. Thus, in addition to the strengthening of measures by each country, it is necessary for the international community as a whole to eliminate all legal loopholes through efforts such as support for capacity building in the justice and law enforcement fields in developing countries.
<Japan’s Efforts>
As for measures against narcotics, Japan proactively participates in international meetings of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs, and supports developing countries centering on Asian countries, through contributions to the United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). In FY2009, projects such as monitoring of the illicit cultivation of poppy and investigations into the manufacture of illicit synthesized drugs in Myanmar, projects related to narcotics control and crime prevention in the Southeast Asia and Pacific region, and support for the creation of major plans for drug control in Laos were implemented through the use of contributions to the UNDCP Fund. Moreover, in March 2010 Japan used the FY2009 supplementary budget to contribute to the UNDCP Fund and the Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Fund (CPCJF) of the UNODC to combat narcotics in Afghanistan. Japan also supports projects that include border management for Afghanistan and its surrounding countries, capacity building in the field of criminal justice, the development of alternative crops, and the prevention of narcotics use by young people.
In regard to measures against human trafficking, Japan focuses on efforts for supporting palliative care for and the social reintegration of victims. In FY2009, Japan provided support focusing mainly on Southeast Asia through contributions to the CPCJF, including the implementation of a project of measures against human trafficking in Pattaya, Thailand (protecting vulnerable children from human trafficking and sexual exploitation). Furthermore, with regard to victims who are sheltered in Japan, Japan supports their safe repatriation and social reintegration in their home country through the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Japan also provides support for the Bali Process, which is a framework for the Asia-Pacific region concerning illegal immigration, human trafficking, and transnational crime.
Regarding measures against corruption, Japan utilized contributions to the CPCJF to hold a seminar on corruption countermeasures in Vietnam in October 2009. Officials from the Government of Vietnam and experts from international agencies took part in the seminar, where they discussed challenges regarding the effective implementation status of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, which Vietnam has entered into. This contributed to strengthening initiatives to combat corruption in Vietnam, which is also a recipient of Japanese ODA.
Also, international training courses and seminars have been held at UNAFEI on the priority issues related to the Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the United Nations Convention against Corruption, such as courses and seminars on the deprivation of criminal profits and anti-money laundering between August and September, anti-corruption between October and November, and the protection of witnesses and whistle-blowers in December 2010. These courses and seminars target professionals on criminal justice of developing countries in the Asia-Pacific region, and contribute to the sound development of criminal justice and reinforcement of cooperative relationship in each country.
Japan invites officials in charge of the immigration control authorities of various countries, in particular Southeast Asian countries, and has held the Seminar on Immigration Control every year since 1987. Japan strengthens mutual understanding and partnership through information sharing, and improves the capacities of immigration personnel in each country. Moreover, Japan has held Seminars on Document Examination since 1995. The purpose has been to promote administrative technology transfer and information sharing among participatory countries by providing Japanese document examination skills and information about other developed countries.
As for measures against terrorism, Japan extends support to developing countries that do not necessarily have sufficient capacity for measures against terrorism to help them build their counter-terrorism capabilities. This is done from the perspective of depriving terrorists of the means to commit terrorism and any safe havens and overcoming vulnerabilities to terrorism. Japan established the Grant Aid for Cooperation on Counter-Terrorism and Security Enhancement in 2006 and has been strengthening its support for measures against terrorism in developing countries.
In particular, Japan focuses its assistance on preventing terrorism and ensuring safety and stability in the Southeast Asian region, which has close ties with Japan, and is thus important for Japan as well. Specifically, for example, Japan has been providing equipment, dispatching experts, holding seminars, and accepting trainees in the areas of immigration control, aviation security, port and maritime security, customs cooperation, export control, law enforcement cooperation, combating terrorist financing, counter-terrorism conventions and protocols, and others. For example, Japan invites officials in charge of the immigration control authorities of various countries, in particular Southeast Asian countries, and has been holding the Seminar on Immigration Control every year since 1987. Japan strengthens mutual understanding and partnership through information sharing, and improves capacities of immigration personnel in each country.
In addition, in March 2010 Japan hosted a seminar with co-sponsorship by Singapore. This seminar focused on exchanges of opinions and discussion between officials from Japan and APEC member countries regarding measures and support for increasing the safety of maritime trade. Furthermore, in FY2009 Japan contributed US$67,000 to the UNODC Terrorism Prevention Branch and provided support for the development of counterterrorism laws in ASEAN countries centering on Indonesia.
It is also necessary to address the issue of piracy. Since Japan depends on maritime transport for a large part of its imports of oil, minerals, and other energy resources, tackling piracy on sea lanes has a direct link to the peace and security of Japan. Incidents of piracy frequently occur and are rapidly proliferating, particularly off the coast of Somalia and in the Sea of Aden, with the active region of the pirates expanding despite the efforts of the international community. This continues to pose a significant threat to the international community. Japan carries out anti-piracy activities through the dispatch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces pursuant to the Anti-Piracy Measures Law that was enacted in June 2009.
In order to solve the issue of piracy off the coast of Somalia, in addition to anti-piracy activities, multilayered initiatives that include strengthening the maritime policing capacity of coastal states and stabilizing the unstable situation in Somalia are essential. Japan provides various forms of support in order to achieve this. For example, Japan has taken the lead in supporting the establishment of an anti-piracy training center and an information sharing center for the region surrounding Somalia, and has contributed about ¥1.4 billion to a fund set up in the IMO. Japan also continues to invite personnel from maritime security agencies in the countries surrounding Somalia to Japan and provide them with training in order to improve their maritime policing capacity. What is more, since 2007 Japan has been strengthening public order within Somalia and providing support worth approximately US$124.4 million that consists of the two pillars of humanitarian assistance and infrastructure development for the realization of peace in Somalia.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Towards a Terrorism-Resistant World pamphlet
●Project for the Installation of X-ray Scanning Equipment at the Check Points of Uzbekistan Borders with the Neighboring Countries
Located in the center of central Asia, Uzbekistan serves as a transport route for narcotics, weapons, and other illegal goods sent from neighboring Afghanistan. Currently, inspections of cargo are carried out by manual labor at customs on the Uzbekistan border. But as distribution increases in the wake of the development of road transport networks in the Central Asian region, there are demands that clearance through customs be expedited at national borders. In light of such circumstances, Japan has provided one large unit of x-ray scanning equipment each to the customs checkpoints in Uzbekistan along the borders with Afghanistan and Tajikistan. It also supports the prevention of inflows and outflows of illegal goods in Uzbekistan, as well as the setting in place of fast and safe customs clearance procedures.