ICBL's Landmine Monitor report '99

Japan's Landmine Policy

Japan signed the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty on 3 December 1997 in Ottawa. In his address to the Signing Conference, then Foreign Minister Keizo Obuchi announced his government's intention to contribute ten billion Japanese yen for mine clearance and victim assistance projects for five years beginning in 1998. Japan ratified the treaty on 30 September 1998, becoming the forty-fifth country to do so. Japan has already passed implementing legislation.

The real commitment by the government of Japan on the landmine issue began when then Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto announced that Japan would host an international conference on antipersonnel landmines. At the Lyon Summit in 1996, he stated Japan's intention to host "an international conference for the purpose of strengthening international support for the efforts by the United Nations to remove mines.... I also mentioned that we have decided recently to actively support efforts for a total international ban of antipersonnel mines." Subsequently, the government hosted "Tokyo Conference on Antipersonnel Landmines" in March 1997.

Japan also reiterated its position in support of a global ban of antipersonnel mines during UN General Assembly meetings in 1996 and a 1996 UN resolution urging governments to pursue vigorously an international agreement banning antipersonnel mines. Despite its public position, Japan did not express its support for the Mine Ban Treaty until September 1997, with its decision to participate in the Oslo negotiations.

The real shift in the government's position came after then Foreign Minister Keizo Obuchi decided to review Japanese policy, on the day he became Foreign Minister. Obuchi noted that "it would not make sense for Japan to oppose the Treaty while cooperating in demining activities in Cambodia." After internal discussions among relevant Ministries, the government announced its decision to sign the treaty on 27 November and the Foreign Minister himself flew to Ottawa to take part in the signing ceremony on 3 December 1997.

The Defense Agency had already undertaken research to develop alternatives for antipersonnel landmines. At a symposium organized by the Japanese Campaign to Ban Landmines (JCBL) in cooperation with the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo on 15 June 1998, a government official from Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the biggest question for ratification was how to deal with antipersonnel landmines possessed by U.S, forces in Japan. More specifically:

  1. Would it be necessary to remove APMS at U.S. bases in Japan?
  2. Would U.S. forces in Japan be allowed to use these mines in its military activities in Japan?
  3. Would Japanese personnel be allowed to transport mines from U.S. bases in Japan to, say, the Korean Peninsula?
The government official went on to say that the government was looking into the possibility of introducing a bill for ratification in the next Ordinary Diet Session which was scheduled to begin in early 1999.

After becoming Prime Minister on July 1998, Mr. Obuchi again took hold of Japan's landmine policy. He announced in his general-policy speech delivered at the opening of the Extraordinary Diet Session that: "We will put every effort to ratify at the earliest possible date so that the Treaty enters into force soon." Mr. Obuchi apparently pushed somewhat reluctant government officials to ratify the treaty in time to be one of the first forty countries to make the treaty enter into force.

The new administration decided to introduce the legislation in the Extraordinary Session convened in the summer of 1998, instead of waiting until the Ordinary Session of l999 as had initially been intended. Members of the JCBL met the Prime Minister to discuss the ratification issue on 11 September 1998, during which time 200,000 signatures calling for a ban were handed over to Mr. Obuchi to demonstrate growing public concern over the landmine crisis.

The Diet passed A Law Concerning the Prohibition of the Production of Antipersonnel Landmines and the Regulation of their Possession on 30 September 1998 to ratify the Mine Ban Treaty, and deposited the instrument to the United Nations on the same day.


U.S. Mines in Japan

Regarding landmines stockpiled on U.S. bases in Japan, an official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that: "Under the treaty, the obligation as the state party is to undertake measures within the framework of its jurisdictional authority to cease or deter activities prohibited under the treaty... thus it continues to be feasible for the U.S. forces to retain any antipersonnel landmines withheld and stockpiled in the U.S. bases in Japan " He also stated that "on the other hand, apart from treaty obligations, the policy of Japan is to terminate the use of landmines for defense purposes, and therefore, the government requested the U.S. not to use, develop or produce landmines within Japanese territory."

With regard to the transportation of landmines by US forces stationed in Japan, it was stated that "in relation to antipersonnel landmines withheld and stockpiled in the U.S. bases, no Japanese national, whether civilian or Self-Defense Force, will be allowed to be engaged in transporting such mines under the treaty."

Regarding U.S.-Japan joint military exercises, thc Vice Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded that "it will not be acceptable for the Defense Force to engage in training which purpose is to use antipersonnel landmines, whether it be a joint exercise or not."

The issue of transit through Japanese territorial waters or land by the US forces equipped with antipersonnel landmines was also repeatedly raised in the Diet session. The Vice Minister stated that "because we approve the possession of landmines by the US forces stationed in Japan, it would not be necessary to request a prior notification, and thus the government has no intention of doing so."


Production

The Defense Agency continued to purchase antipersonnel landmines until FY 1996 (procurement budget: 600million yen). The Agency had also sought 680million yen for purchasing AP mines for FY1997 but it was canceled once Japan signed the Ottawa Treaty. This budget line item has instead been allocated for purchasing "directional-multiple-shots."

It is a widely known fact that a single private company, Ishikawa Seisakusho, assembled all AP mines. Several other companies are also known to have produced landmine components, but details are not available. The status of programs for the conversion or de-commissioning of AP mine production facilities is not clear.

The Japanese Defense Agency is currently developing an alternative weapon system to antipersonnel landmines. The "Antipersonnel Obstacle System" combines sensor and remote control, and is detonated by manual command so that civilians are not targeted indiscriminately. The Agency has been seeking budget allocations for this development since FY 1997, including 20 million yen for development in FY 1997, 20 million yen for development in FY 1998 and 600 million yen in FY 1999 for purchasing test models. During the Diet hearing session, the government stated, "We have asked for funding since FY 1997 and have been considering this. The budget we have asked for FY 1999 is for purchasing samples to examine in the coming two years if they actually function after assembling."

Until a new alternative system is developed, the Defense Agency will use directional-multiple-shots as an alternative weapon. The government stated that "it will take some time for this (new system) to be completed and thus meanwhile, we will...make sure [the directional-multiple-shot-mine] detonates only by manual command. Until we develop an alternative system, we will purchase a small amount of directional-multiple-shots."

The Agency has already converted all directional-multiple-shot-mines it possessed to directional-multiple-shots in FY 1998, and it also has sought budget allocations for new procurement in FY 1998 (1.4 billion yen) and FY 1999 (400 million yen). However, the number of munitions is not disclosed.


Transfer

Japan has never exported or imported antipersonnel landmines. This is forbidden under the Law on Three Principles on Arms Export. The export of components of landmines, such as fuses and blasting powder are forbidden under the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Law.


Stockpiling

The total number of antipersonnel landmines possessed by the Self-Defense Force is 1,000,401 (as of the end of 1998).

To date, the government has not officially disclosed the contractor or schedule for destruction of its stockpiled landmines. However, in a response to a Diet member's inquiry, the Defense Agency presented the type and cost of initial destruction.

The total cost for destroying these 222,000 antipersonnel landmines is 420 million yen, plus 27 million yen for transportation for a total cost of 447 million yen. Thus, the average cost for destroying one landmine will approximately be 2,014 yen. In total, Japanese government is expected to spend 2 billion yen to dismantle all the stockpiled mines. These figures were also confirmed during the Diet hearing session.

Actual destruction (or dismantling) may not begin during FY 1999 (April 1999 to March 2000). The only obligation for the Defense Agency in FY 1999 is to start logistical procedures and conclude contracts with firm(s) to undertake destruction. The Agency has not prepared a complete dismantling plan since it believes that the official format will be discussed during the first conference of state parties in May 1999.


Use

Japan has not used antipersonnel landmines since the establishment of Defense Force in 1954. However, the government for a long time took the stance that landmines are an indispensable means in protecting its long coastlines. Landmines were considered as purely defensive weapons, appropriate for Japan's official "Exclusively Defense-Oriented Policy."


Mine Action Funding

The Japanese government contributed nearly US$30 million to mine action programs before the end of 1997. The most significant contributions for mine clearance operations were: Mine victim assistance programs included support for the establishment of prostheses facilities in Cambodia in 1992, and the establishment of a rehabilitation center in Cambodia in 1993, as well as assistance through the NGO Association to Aid Refugees-Japan for vocational training (1994, 1995, 1996).

The government launched a new program to promote further assistance after signing the Mine Ban Treaty. On 3 December 1997, Japanese Foreign Minister Keizo Obuchi, having attended and signed the Ottawa Treaty, announced the "Zero Victim Programs," a plan to provide 10 billion yen over a five-year period starting January 1998 for landmine removal and support of mine victim projects. The 10 billion yen, five-year program, is to include the following elements:

full support to grassroots NGOs should be provided in the area of artificial limb production and rehabilitation of victims.
(Edited by Ando, from Landmine Monitor Report 1999,ASIA-PACIFIC: States Parties, pp.355-366)