PSI Air Interdiction Exercise "Pacific Shield 12"
hosted by Japan (Overview)

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cabinet Secretariat, National Police Agency,
Ministry of Finance (Japan Customs),
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism,
Ministry of Defense, etc.

Australia, Republic of Korea, Singapore

By hosting the first PSI Air Interdiction Exercise in Japan (*), we express, both inside and outside Japan, the intention of Japan and the international community to interdict proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and related materials. Moreover, by showing the whole live exercise to the observers and media, we aim at improving their understanding of the purpose, details, and importance of the PSI.
(*) Japan has hosted PSI Maritime Interdiction Exercises "Team Samurai 04" in October 2004 and "Pacific Shield 07" in October 2007.

We attempt to promote mutual understanding of the detection methods of each country to improve effectiveness of measures for proliferation interdiction through implementation of cargo inspections concerning detection of radioactive materials and chemical agents by Australia, the Republic of Korea, and Singapore, in addition to the exercise by Japan.
As for Japan, through the exercise, we focus on reinforcement of coordination between the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, the Police, and the Ministry of Finance (Japan Customs).
In the Table Top Exercise, we intend to deepen our mutual comprehension of systems of other countries through discussion on how to deal with cases similar to the live exercises.

Participants in the Japan's first PSI Air Interdiction Exercise, from various regions of the world, even from non-PSI member countries, were expected to deepen their understanding of the PSI, on importance of efforts toward nonproliferation in general, and of policies of the other countries.

(A) Assuming that a civil cargo aircraft which was suspected of carrying radioactive materials from a state of proliferation concern (for the exercise, a utility supporting aircraft U-4 was used) had intruded into the territorial airspace of Japan, an exercise was conducted in which the Japan Air Self-Defense Force dispatched interceptors (two F-15 fighters - on the day of the field training exercise, the fighters did not participate in the exercise due to meteorological reasons) and forced the suspected aircraft to land at the JASDF Chitose Air Base (live interdiction exercise ).

(B) At the New Chitose Airport, Hokkaido Prefectural Police and Hakodate Customs conducted an exercise to inspect cargo and to unload the cargo from the suspected aircraft (inspection exercise).

(C) Subsequently, the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (the 7th Chemical Unit and the CNBC: Central Nuclear Biological Chemical Weapon Defense Unit) carried out a demonstration exercise concerning decontamination.

Inspection exercise in detection of radioactive materials and chemical agents by Australia (ANSTO: the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organization), the Republic of Korea (the CBR Defense Command, Ministry of National Defense, and the Korea Customs Service), and Singapore (the CBRE: Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Explosive Defence Group) was conducted, in addition to the exercise by Japan.