Study Group on “Maritime Security and Safety”
May 27, 2011

[Purpose]This Study Group will examine the role that Asian countries should play in establishing astable maritime security environment in East Asia and offer recommendations on policies
that Japan should adopt.

[Overview of Research]
It is no exaggeration to state that many of the factors destabilizing the regional order in East
Asia derive from maritime issues. One of these is the rapid and opaque modernization ofthe Chinese navy.

It was only just recently that China declared the East China Sea and theSouth China Sea to be “core interests.” China’s opportunistic behavior in the East China
Sea and the South China Sea against the backdrop of this opaque upgrading of its naval
capabilities has sparked concern among the region’s countries.

At the same time, China’s

rise threatens America’s current status as the stabilizer for the regional order.

During last

July’s meeting of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), US Secretary of State Clintonemphasized that the safety and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea is an
American interest, and her criticism of China’s actions highlighted the struggle for maritime
supremacy between the US and China.

With 80% of Japan’s petroleum imports passing

through the Malacca and Singapore Straits, it goes without saying that maritime safety andstability are vital for Japan’s security.

Taking into consideration the aforementioned developments in East Asia’s maritime order
over recent years, this Study Group will examine the future of the region’s maritime security
order focusing on three points: (1) regional efforts to ensure a stable maritime security order,1(2) the perspectives and policies of neighboring countries on regional maritime security, and(3) Japan’s role in regional maritime security.

[Overview of Activities]
The Study Group as a whole meets once every four to six weeks. Study Group meetings
feature presentations by specialists and progress reports on Study Group members’
research.

Through conducting research and interviews and carrying out surveys, Study

Group members prepare reports in their respective areas of responsibility, and theseresearch findings are made available to the broader public through symposiums and reports.
Among the specific topics to be addressed are:
① Security Environment in East Asia and the regional maritime order② Maritime security in the Indian Ocean③ Capacity building for maritime security in East Asia
④ Maritime security and international law⑤ Japan’s maritime policies concerning remote border islands[Study Group Members]Group Leader
AGAWA Naoyuki (Vice President (International), Keio University)
Group Members
AKIYAMA Nobumasa (Associate Professor, Hitotsubashi University)
KANEDA Hideaki (Adjunct Fellow, Japan Institute of International Affairs; Admiral [retired])
SAIKI Naoko (Deputy Director General and Senior Research Fellow, Japan Institute ofInternational Affairs)
JIMBO Ken (Associate Professor, Keio University)
TAKANO Toshiyuki (Advisor, Itochu; former Ambassador to Republic of Korea)

2TAKEDA Isami (Professor, Dokkyo University)
NISHIMURA Yumi (Associate Professor, University of Tokyo)
YAMADA Yoshihiko (Professor, Tokai University)
Group Member and Secretary
FUKUDA Tamotsu (Research Fellow, Japan Institute of International Affairs)
Research Assistant
SUZUKI Ryoko (Research Assistant, Japan Institute of International Affairs)3