Japan's personnel contributions to peacekeeping efforts expected
(From The Japan Times Nov. 24 issue)

人的貢献が期待される日本のPKO

Two officers of the Ground Self-Defense Force have been dispatched by the government to join the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) peace support operation in southern Sudan. The decision to dispatch them was made in early October on the basis of the 1992 international peace cooperation law. The government should consider further increasing Japan's personnel contributions to U.N. peace support efforts in line with the words and spirit of the war-renouncing Constitution.

Unlike the Self-Defense Forces' activities in Iraq and the Indian Ocean, which support multinational military forces, the SDF's participation in U.N.-sponsored peacekeeping operations should be easy for people to support.

Japan has been participating in peacekeeping operations on the Golan Heights and in Nepal. Now UNMIS has been added to the list.

The two GSDF members are in charge of database management for security information, and coordination of material procurement and transportation at the UNMIS headquarters in Khartoum. Their mission will make a valuable contribution to Japan's experience in peacekeeping operations.

The total number of Japanese personnel participating in peacekeeping operations is less than 50, according to the Cabinet Office's International Peace Cooperation Headquarters. At present there are 16 peacekeeping operations involving some 108,000 people, including about 82,000 uniformed personnel. Peacekeeping operations are not necessarily safe.

As of Nov. 3, 2,534 peacekeepers have died in the course of their duties. Japan's financial contribution, at 17 percent, is the second largest after that of the United States. But expectations are high that Japan will contribute more personnel.

政府はスーダン南部に展開する平和維持活動国連スーダン派遣団に陸上自衛官2人を派遣した。1992年の国際平和協力法に基づき決定されたもので、政府は今後、平和憲法の精神に沿って積極的な人的貢献を考えなければならない。イラクやインド洋での多国籍軍支援と違い、国連関与のPKO活動は世論の支持を得やすい。

2人はハルツームのスーダン派遣団司令部で治安情報のデータベース管理や、物資調達･輸送の調整などを担当する。彼らの任務は、今後の日本のPKO活動にも役立つはずだ。

内閣府国際平和協力本部によると、日本のPKO派遣要員数は50人未満だ。日本はPKO予算の約17％を負担し米国に次いで2位だが、各国からより積極的な人的貢献が期待されている。