ICRC BULLETIN
Kuala Lumpur

Issue No 3
August 2007

'Seminar on Tracing Persons in Emergency Situations', jointly organised by the Japanese Red Cross Society (JRCS), the Cabinet Secretariat
and the ICRC.

Dear Reader
On 29-30 January 2007, for the first time, Tokyo was thehost city of a Seminar on "Tracing Persons in Emergency
Situations". Organised jointly by the ICRC, the Japanese
Red Cross Society (JRCS) and the Cabinet Secretariat, theSeminar attracted the participation of 83 participants whoare involved in the protection of civilians in emergencies aswell as disaster management.
The ICRC was encouraged by the overwhelming response
as it indicated the depth of interest in Japan with regard to
one of our key operational activities, Tracing and Restoring
Family Links (RFL), as well as preparedness in any conflictor natural emergency. It was also an opportunity to discuss
experiences and best practices with high-level interlocutors.
A brief outline of the dialogue is outlined in the following
pages.

Readers may be especially interested to know that on 9 July
2007, Her Majesty the Empress presented three recipientswith the Florence Nightingale Award, which is the highestinternational distinction that can be awarded to nurses andvoluntary aides. Other relevant news on events which feature the many ways through which Japan works with theICRC are also included in this issue for your information. It
will be our privilege to continue this high level of cooperation
with the Japanese political and military authorities, as wellas the JRCS in the future.
We thank you for your continuing support.

Werner Kaspar
Regional Delegation
ICRC Kuala Lumpur

'TRACING OF MISSING PERSONS' SEMINAR, TOKYOOn 29-30 January 2007, the ICRC, the Japanese Red Cross
Society (JRCS) and the Cabinet Secretariat were the joint
organisers of a Seminar on "Tracing Persons in Emergency
Situations", held in Tokyo. A total of 83 participants attended,of which 40 were from the Cabinet Secretariat, the Japanese
Self Defence Forces, the Ministry for Internal Affairs andCommunication, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency,
the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the Ministry ofDefence, the Ministry of Justice, the National Police Agency,
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Land,
Infrastructure and Transport; 22 from local Prefectures; and 21
from the JRCS.
The Seminar was aimed at reaffirming Japan's role as a State
which is Party to the Geneva Conventions, as well as to sharewith the participants the ICRC's practical knowledge andexperiences in the field of restoring family links (RFL).
Béatrice Munier, from the ICRC's Central Tracing Agency
based in Geneva, introduced the main references for theRFL activities. She also presented the tools, the reality andthe challenges of tracing activities in various emergencies
using concrete examples from Sri Lanka (a situation of armedconflict), hurricane Katrina in the US (natural disaster) and somecountries affected by the 2006 tsunami (complex emergency,i.e. a natural disaster in a zone of conflict or violence/tension– see next page). The discussion encompassed issues suchas 'the missing', the importance of psychological support tothe families of the victims, and the management of humanremains.

It was noted that in Japan, there is growing interest in International
Humanitarian Law (IHL), following the country's accession to
the Additional Protocols to the Geneva Conventions and theadoption of the emergency Civilian Protection Law in 2004, aswell as the adoption of the Law for Peace and Independenceof Japan in 2003.
Legal references which might be useful for Japan to consider inthe further implementation of IHL were provided by Alexandre
Faite, the Regional Legal Advisor of the ICRC. Families of nonnationals have a right to know the fate of their relatives andthe State is obliged to observe that right. A point worth noting isthat in armed attack situations, Japan's Civilian Protection Law
explicitly spells out the responsibilities of national and local
governments, as well as entrusts the JRCS with the tracing ofnon-nationals.

Upon the outbreak of a conflict, the authorities must
establish a National Information Bureau responsible forreceiving and transmitting information on certain categoriesof non-nationals (protected civilians, prisoners of war, themissing and the deceased). The relevant information ischannelled through a Central Information Agency that mustbe established in a neutral country (or through the ICRC's
Central Tracing Agency). Some countries are currently
reflecting on a blueprint for the establishment of such aBureau.
The Seminar ended with an assurance from the ICRC thatit remains ready to support the Japanese authorities andJRCS in building up national capacity in tracing activities.

'TRACING OF MISSING PERSONS' SEMINAR, TOKYO"An initiative of the ICRC to organise a Tracing Seminar inTokyo in January 2007 was epoch-making. It is said thatthe genuine role of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is to fill the humanitarian gap between public services
and coping capacity of the individual/community. In this context, the auxiliary role of the Japanese Red Cross Society(JRCS) in one of the wealthiest countries in the world must
be somewhat unique as compared to other National Societies. The JRCS is a huge body, running 92 hospitals, 67
Blood Centres with over 12 million members, and three million Volunteers.
For the past 60 years very few Japanese have lost their lives
in armed conflict. However, the world climate has changed
dramatically, urging peaceful Japan to jump into the rapid
stream of the international environment. Thus, along withaccession to the two 1977
Geneva Protocols, a seriesof ‘emergency legislations‘, including the emergency
Civilian Protection Law waspromulgated in 2004.

shin-Awaji (Kobe) Earthquake in 1995, the JRCS responded
to approximately 1,300 tracing requests from abroad, which
was the largest number received since WWII.
Japanese people can start thinking on what could be thehumanitarian consequences of having a ‘missing person’
among their loved ones. In particular, I do hope that after
a long siesta of peace, the seminar will turn out to be aneye-opener not only for the Japanese authorities but also
for our colleagues."
Akira Nakata
Director of Planning & Coordination,
International Department,
Japanese Red Cross

One of the most important aspects for the National Society
is to undertake tracing services for foreigners in Japan,
estimated at over 10 million,
including 2 million residents.
At the time of the Great Han-Tracing and Restoring Family Links: A Key Movement Activity

Complex humanitarian crises involving both conflict and natural disaster have become commonplace throughout theworld, and it is often the most vulnerable communities who need the greatest assistance. Among the many challenges inthese situations is the tracing of missing persons, and where possible, reuniting family members who have been separated. "Restoring Family Links (RFL)" is thus one of the key operational activities of the International Red Cross and Red
Crescent Movement, including the ICRC.

JAPAN-ICRC COOPERATION
Regional Peace Support Training Officers Seminar, Kuala Lumpur: 20th – 22nd March 2007
ICRC Kuala Lumpur Regional Delegation andthe Malaysian Armed Forces, co-organised theRegional Peace Support Operations Training
Officers' Seminar from 20th – 22nd March2007.

Two of the participants were Japanese.

The purpose of the seminar was to exchange
knowledge and practical experience relating toInternational Humanitarian Law which can beapplied in peace support missions, in particular
the protection of civilians and enhancement ofpeacekeeping training activities.

Additional Protocols Symposium, Beijing: 18 – 19 June 2007
A Symposium for the 30th Anniversary of the Adoption of the 1977 Protocols Additional to the 1949 Geneva Conventions was heldin Beijing on 18 – 19 June 2007. The seminar was jointly organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republicof China and the ICRC. Participants included representatives from the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry ofDefence. A representative from the Japanese Embassy addressed the audience, reflecting Japan's position as a State party tothe Protocols.

41st Award of the Florence Nightingale Medal, Tokyo: 9 July 2007
Every two years, the ICRC invites the Central
Committees of the National Societies to submit
nominations for the Florence Nightingale Medal,
which is the highest international distinction thatcan be awarded to a nurse or voluntary nursing
aide. This is the 41st year that the Medal has been
awarded to deserving recipients worldwide. InJapan, the Japanese Red Cross Society (JRCS)
held the awards ceremony at the Tokyo Prince
Hotel on 9th July, with an audience of Her Majesty
the Empress.

International Committee of the Red Cross
Kuala Lumpur Regional Delegation
Unit 50-11-1, Level 11
Wisma UOA Damansara
No. 50, Jalan Dungun
Damansara Heights
50490 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
T: +60(3) 2084 1800 F: +60(3) 2084 1999
E-mail: kuala_lumpur.kua@icrc.org
Website: www.icrc.org

Website: www.jrc.or.jp