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Prospect for change in the maritime security situation in Asiaand the role of Japan
Maritime Security in Southeast and Southwest Asia
IIPS International Conference
Dec.11-13, 2001
ANA Hotel, Tokyo
Masahiro Akiyama
Chairman, Ship and Ocean Foundation

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Prospect for change in the maritime security situation in Asia

In Asia there are several seas and oceans where a tremendous amount ofships run and these are the core lines of communication. Within this region
there are nations with large populations and some of them are alsoarchipelagic states. The countries in this region are recognized as being oneof the most active economic bodies in the world. However, many kinds ofmaritime problems remain unresolved in this area. I would like to pick up
on some of these issues, taking into consideration their relations to Japan,
as I wish to discuss the role of Japan in maritime security issues.
SLOC Issues
For a long time Japan has been interested in securing sea line ofcommunication (SLOC), realizing that it is strongly in its national interest.
Japanese people sense very clearly that Japan can’t maintain its economic
development without keeping SLOC. At an early stage, Japan made publicthat the Japanese Self-Defense Force would defend the 1000 nautical milesea line of communication from Japan, even though the Self-Defense Forcewas severely criticized internally and externally about its dispatch abroad.
We are discussing now even the necessity of the self-defense of the sea line
beyond 1000 miles.
The US and Russia are interested in SLOC from the military standpoint aswell as an economic viewpoint. South Korea is also interested in SLOC, butmainly from an economic standpoint. Now there are also controversial2discussions in Korea on whether Korea should consider itself as aland-bound country or a maritime nation.
I believe that we have to consider the recent change of China’s attitude on
SLOC. China was thought to be not so interested in SLOC by 1980’s. I
would say that China was maybe one obstacle to the promotion of securing
the SLOC. Maybe China took this attitude because it thought that the US,
the former USSR and other economic powers were earnest in SLOC fromtheir national interests, which often didn’t meet its own. China, however,has recently changed its attitude on this issue because I think it has come torealize it has to import a lot of food and energy through sea lines. I believe it
is important that Japan and other countries who are interested in SLOC
discuss the SLOC agenda with China in a somewhat business minded way.
Pirating Threats
Numerous pirating incidents occur in Asia. The number of cases has
recently increased, while some of them have become terribly violent attacks.
Japan has become concerned about these pirating incidents as someJapanese ships have recently been attacked. Former prime minister ofJapan the late Honorable Obuchi took a strong initiative on this problem byhosting special international conferences to overcome pirating issues. TheJapan Maritime Security Agency (Japanese Coast Guard) has already
exercised joint training with some Asian countries, because of his efforts.
It is reported that there are concentrated pirating incidents in the Malacca
Straits and the surrounding area. Three countries facing the strait,Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore have cooperated to prevent and reducethese pirating cases through the operation of joint patrols through thestrait.
China has recently been concerned about the problem too, although it has
been somewhat doubted as a nation interested in earnestly putting pressure
on pirating issues. In the US, another country that was thought not soearnest on the problem, the Congress has started discussions on the threatsof pirating, while the US Navy has already played an important role in
information exchange activities in regard to each individual pirating case inconjunction with the IMB (The International Maritime Bureau) in Malaysia.

3UN Convention of the Law of the Sea
There are many unresolved border conflicts related to EEZ’s and continentalshelves in Asia. Debates on territory and different concepts on continental
shelves cause severe conflicts between countries. Japan has yet to findsolutions on such kinds of border problems with Russia, Korea and China.
In the East China Sea and the South China Sea similar problems remainunresolved. In particular territorial conflict over the Spratly Islands in theSouth China Sea is at a critical point, as China has developed moreterritorial interests in the area since the 1990’s.
Archipelagic states like the Philippines and Indonesia request their rights ofcontrol over the sea surrounding their nations. However, their control oversuch archipelagic seas opposes the concept of freedom of navigation.
Countries like the US who are interested in the freedom of navigation areconcerned about the development of such controls. Requests of coastal
nations to hold strong control over EEZ’s has been a controversial issue as
well.
Problems related to fishing resources, seabed resources and the maritime
environment follow the discussion above. Out of them fishery andenvironmental problems have a complicated aspect in that they naturally
move over these borders.
All of these problems could trigger state-to-state conflicts, which include
military issues too. The world has tried to find solutions by developing
international cooperation, but solutions are not easily found.
Maritime Military Policies
When we discuss the maritime security we have to consider maritime
security forces (navy and coast guard) because they engage in themaintenance of the maritime security as a deterrence power and anenforcement body.
Since the end of the Cold War Japan and the US have strengthened theiralliance, while their security alliance has thought to have contributed to thepeace and stability of the Asia-Pacific region. The joint maritime military
power of Japan and the US is seen as being the strongest military force inthis region.
Japan’s Maritime Security Agency (the Japanese Coast Guard) has
developed its international activities particularly in pirating issues, which

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seemed quite different from the activities of the Agency in the past.. The US
Coast Guard is located together with each of the Navy Fleet’s regional
headquarters, like in that of Honolulu.
China changed its maritime military policy in the early 1990’s, transforming
its Navy from a “coastal defense” one to a “blue water” navy. I believe this isbecause China took into consideration both the necessity of military actions
beyond the coastal sea zone to defend itself from countries that could
possibly confront it with modernized and sophisticated military systems,
particularly like that of the US, and also the necessity to secure the sea lineof communication for itself. Taiwan is also building up its maritime militaryforce to defend itself from similar confrontations. It is doing so by accepting
US help and is currently urging the strain on the Taiwan Strait as being oneof very important international agenda, because of its position as one of thebusiest international straits in the world.
Russia is thought to keep substantially the same maritime military
functions, as the military super power it was under the former Soviet Union.
South Korea seems to have become interested in building up a modernized
navy, which is maybe to take into account for the future reunification of theNorth and South Korea.
Many countries in South East Asia have maritime security forces in theshape of a navy. These navies are responsible for defense of their countries
and maritime security order as enforcement bodies. After the end of the Cold
War, such countries have endeavored to build their forces into modernized
and more powerful maritime security units. The financial crisis in 1997,
however, forced them to interrupt these endeavors. Navies of these countries
like Malaysia, Indonesia and Philippines are weak as military powers. I
think Singapore’s Navy is the only exception.
India is thought to be a super power of maritime force in South Asia andshows much interest also in the SLOC and pirating issues.
The Impact of the September 11th Terrorist Activity on Maritime Security
The September 11th terrorist incident had a huge impact on maritime
security in Asia. I believe that the possibility of maritime terrorism has
increased since the incident. The power to counter against maritime
violence is not great, which is reflected in the number of pirating incidents
that occur in international waters and there now a higher possibility of5maritime terrorism taking place. Moreover, Asia could be thought of as anarea where exercising of terrorist activities might be easier than in otherregions, or in particular developed countries, because such countries havestrengthened their surveillance on terrorist activities in many ways since
September 11th. We have to take into consideration that there are several
large nations in Asia who have a large population of Muslim people. We
have to watch carefully the feelings of Muslims against the American
government. Poverty in the area might well spur more terrorist activity.
On the contrary, the fight against terrorists in Afghanistan is feeding much
power to the governments presently fighting against anti-government
groups, which in many cases are the same as a political terrorists. Hopefullyin this way maritime terrorist activity, as well as pirating, will be slowly
eradicated.
Anyhow the possibility of maritime terrorism occurring should be considered
carefully and we must find and introduce some countermeasures against it.
2Japan’s Status on Maritime Security Issues

Japan is thought of as one of the original maritime countries of the Asia
Pacific region. The history of Japan shows this to be true, and now Japanprospers much from the sea. I believe Japan is the largest user of the Asianseas and of the Pacific Ocean Without access to its surrounding Asian seas,
the Japanese economy cannot survive. This is because, almost all of tradecargo to and from Japan passes through these seas.
Japan is still regarded as the biggest economic power in Asia, andfurthermore Japan has become a strong political power too. Japan’s largest
trading partners are Asian countries, while Japan provides the largest
amount of aid to Asian countries through ODA. Almost all of these recipient
countries strongly have relations with the sea and its resources.
With regard to maritime force, Japan has built up its maritime self defense
capabilities in conjunction with the joint power of the US Navy, to enable it
to defend its coastlines and SLOC, and maintain the peace and stability ofthe region surrounding it. I believe the joint power of Japan and the US as aregional power is one of the strongest in the world, even though Japan’s
military power is aimed exclusively at defending only its own coastlines andSLOC.

6Since the end of the Cold War public awareness in Japan on the function ofthe military has changed dramatically, as Japanese people have been
exposed to several critical situations related to the Japan’s security and its
surrounding area. The dispatch of Japan’s Self-Defense personnel abroad
was first aimed at conducting PKO, HRO, DRO and NEO. In these fields
military power has become necessary through initiatives taken by the UNand international communities. Japanese people have become to think thatJapan should contribute in these fields. These operations are thought asactivities not involving the use of military forces that are prohibited by theJapan’s constitution if the personnel are dispatched abroad.
In discussion on Japan’s position in the maritime security issue, I would liketo refer to Japan’s engagement in the maintenance of navigation security inMalacca Strait. In regard to navigation security, The Malacca Board, one ofJapanese NGOs, based on the financial support of the Nippon Foundation,continues to help the activities of countries facing the strait by providing
navigation signal facilities that are set up through the strait.
As you are aware, Japan maintains strong relations with the US. At thesame time China and Japan are pursuing furthered development in the twonations’ relations. It is noticeable that many countries in Asia hope thatboth the maintenance of the Japan-US security alliance and the friendly
development of the Sino-Japan tie help strengthen the navigational security
in the strait.

3Japan’s Role

Taking into account the prospect for change in the maritime security
situation in Asia and Japan’s status I mentioned above, I believe Japan is acountry that should take the initiative in maritime security in the region.
Maritime security requires both internal and external cooperation to bemaintained effectively. Such international cooperation should be pursued in
the form of a regional cooperation, as Agenda 21 indicates.
There are a number of issues related to maritime security in the areas bothsurrounding Japan and in Japan’s sea line of communication. In the East
China Sea, the South China Sea, the Indian Sea, the Arabian Sea and7international straits such as the Malacca Strait, we have problems ofpirating, SLOC, maritime accidents and maritime terrorism. Furthermore,
there is a possibility that environmental problems and resource related
issues might trigger international conflicts not only over maritime relatedborders, but also beyond the realms of border related issues.
We already have the UN convention of the Law of the Sea and other treaties
and agreements related to maritime issues. We have to endeavor to further
make the international legislative system more appropriate by making clear
the interpretations and introducing new and revised treaties if necessary.
I think, however, the most important thing at the present time is that welaunch a system to implement these international legal frameworks. Japanhas advocated the necessity of introducing “ocean governance” for suchpurposes. Ocean governance is aimed at securing maritime order byinternationally cooperating and comprehensively tackling maritime security
issues.
With regard to ocean governance I would like to point out several importantprinciples as follows.
1 Related countries need to agree to launch such ocean governance policies
together
2 Regional cooperation is essential.
3 Situation study and information sharing are important.
4 The cooperation of the private sector is necessary in addition to thecooperation between the governments of each relevant country.
5 Maritime enforcement agencies and maritime forces should cooperate
both internally and externally. The cooperation of the othergovernmental agencies related to maritime issues is also necessary.
6 The activities of NGOs are essential, as present governmentalorganizations and international organizations can be influenced bysectionalism.
7 It is not necessarily important to establish a new international body tofind the most effective framework for the ocean governance.
With regard to regional cooperation in Asia, Japan is one of countries thattake the initiative to formulate ocean governance policy. In the case Japan8takes initiative the following items must be focused on.
1 Japan needs to have the US and China involved in the process, while
also continuing dialogue with the relevant Asian countries. In fact,
Japan and the US have actually pursued the involvement of China into
international activities to some extent already.
2 Japan needs to host a central meeting to discuss ocean governance,
similar to when Japan took initiatives against pirating in 1999..
3 The Japan-US security alliance needs to support activities to maintainthe maritime security in the region.
4 Japan and the US need to be able to help the modernization of maritime
enforcement and maritime forces in Asian countries that are currently
very weak.
5 Maritime security management needs to be strengthened through joint
activities like joint patrols and joint exercise in which Japan and US
cooperation is also essential.
6 With regard to 3-5 above Australia and other developed countries
interested in the maritime security in the region are expected to jointhese activities.