V. Support Structure for On-Site Activities
1. Support Provided by the International Peace Cooperation Headquarters of the Prime Minister's Office
Personnel and Japan Self-Defense Forces contingents dispatched to UN peacekeeping and international humanitarian relief missions often must work in harsh conditions far from home.
Therefore, with the cooperation of other ministries and agencies, the International Peace Cooperation Headquarters of the Prime Minister's Office provides those involved in such missions with pre-departure training on the International Peace Cooperation Law; the scope of their international peace cooperation assignments; and the countries and the languages of the regions to which they will be assigned.
Together with other ministries and agencies, the International Peace Cooperation Headquarters of the Prime Minister's Office established an on-site support team for dispatching personnel and Self-Defense Forces contingents to Angola, Cambodia and other countries. These teams provided on-site support for liaison and coordination among related ministries or agencies. The support activities in the field are conducted by liaison and coordination personnel who undertake the dispatch of personnel and Self-Defense Forces contingents to the aid of Rwandan refugees and to serve in the Golan Heights.
2. Support by Maritime and Air Self-Defense Forces
The maritime movement supplementary unit dispatched to Cambodia comprised two transport ships and one supply ship from Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. It was mobilized when personnel and other Self-Defense Force contingents were dispatched to Cambodia. This unit provided food, lodging and maritime transport for part of Self-Defense Forces engineering unit as well as transport for its equipment.
The Air Self-Defense Force provided six C-130H transport planes for transporting Self-Defense Forces engineering units and their vehicles. They also operated additional weekly flights for about one year to airlift supplies and other materials to the engineering units.
In addition, the Air Self-Defense Force airlifted food and other supplies from Japan at the end of 1993 to support the movement control units and staff officers during the dispatch of personnel and Self-Defense Forces contingents to Mozambique. The Air Self-Defense Force is providing similar support for the mission in the Golan Heights.
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