Japan prepares anti-pirate naval deployment off Somalia
Updated
Japan is taking steps to join the ranks of a number of naval forces deployed in the Gulf of Aden to protect international trade vessels against pirates. Pirates in the Gulf of Aden made around US$30m in ransom money in 2008 by targeting among others a super oil tanker from Saudi Arabia and a trade vessel from Hong Kong.
Presenter: Zulfikar Abbany
Speaker: Yasukazu Hamada, Japanese Defence Minister; Dr Malcolm Cook, East Asia programme director, Lowy Institute, Sydney
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COOK: The loudest message it wants to send is that it won't be left on the sidelines this time. This deployment follows ones after India, one of their first, South Korea and most noticeably China as well. I'm sure that Chinese deployment to the Gulf of Aden put pressure on Japan to stump up as well and not face potential criticism that it's not acting in the international good or protecting its own ships.
ABBANY: Because the Chinese deployment is also very significant in a sense, it's the furthest deployment for China in itself isn't it?
COOK: Many China experts, military historians say it's the first one in three or four hundred years to go that far. So without a doubt it's a big one but I was in Japan in December and the idea that China would send ships certainly added quite a bit to their own determination.
ABBANY: Well we've seen quite a few of the trade vessels that have been captured released and freed recently, the sort of situation been resolved, and I'm wondering whether Japan is perhaps making well a rather loud statement at a quiet time because the issue would seem to have progressed and is maybe starting to go away?
COOK: Especially as there's discussions in Japan that the deployment won't be ready until March, so even though they announced the plans to send I think it's two destroyers and smaller fast boats. They might not be ready to sail before March, so you're right the issue seems to be being brought under control. But I think for Japan the larger interest is the larger strategic one, probably the same for China, South Korea and others it's not only to fight pirates off the Somali coast but it's to contribute and be seen to be contributing to global public good in maritime areas.
ABBANY: So what sort of experience does Japan bring to this, I mean it's trying to say to the international community we're still a worthy partner, we don't want to be nudged out of the game in a sense, but what is it bringing to the situation?
COOK: Yeah I'm not sure, they certainly don't have a history in that part of the world. They do have ships that have been involved in the Indian Ocean operations with Afghanistan and they certainly have one of the most modern navies in all of the Asia Pacific. But there's already so many countries there. Whether more ships will, who will actually be operationally useful I'm not quite sure what the limited military importance will be, especially as you say if by March the issue is even quieter than it is now.
ABBANY: I wonder how this move will resonate with Japanese people? How could it affect the national mood? I mean it's at this time Japan's down financially, the Prime Minister is asking the country to feel proud about its achievements and about the future. Could the Prime Minister make a statement here to say we're still important domestically as well?
COOK: Yeah there's three major problems at the same time in Japan politically and Prime Minister Aso I think is the least popular Japanese prime minister in the post war period. So he certainly has an interest in being able to show that Japan is a major naval power that can contribute. How much that will affect the deep sense of gloom in Japan at the movement I'm not sure because the sources of gloom are quite deep and aren't so much tied to piracy and the Gulf of Aden. So I'm sure there'll be a bit of a boost but probably not very much of one, especially if it doesn't take place until March, Japan may have an election in April.
ABBANY: So in terms of being a distraction it might not be a big enough distraction?
COOK: Yeah and I think the downside for Japan of not sending any ships or being prepared to would have been worse because in the first Gulf War if we were to go back all that far Japan was heavily criticised internationally and by the Americans for basically standing aside while others carried the load. This piracy off Somalia is a much smaller issue but I'm sure Japan is wary of getting those kinds of criticisms, especially as its regional neighbours, again China, India and South Korea have sent ships. So I think it's really more an exercise in managing a downside risk rather than trying to find a fillip for Japan's sense of gloom.
