Annual Report 2022
“Japan's Actions against Piracy
off the Coast of Somalia
and in the Gulf of Aden”
March 2023
Cabinet Secretariat The Government of Japan Somalia and the Surroundings (off the Coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden) Importance of the Gulf of Aden for Japan
Japan depends on maritime transportation for 99.5% of its international trade volume. Therefore, navigational safety
is essential for the daily life of its people as well as for its economy. The Gulf of Aden, which connects Asia with Europe via
Suez Canal, is one of the vital shipping lanes for Japan. Furthermore, approx. 17%2022 Annual Passage ofof container cargos over the world, and about 18% of the vehicles exported from Japan
Japan-Related Vessels*
were transported through the Gulf of Aden in 2022. Therefore, navigational safety ofmerchant vessels in this Gulf is still one of the urgent and critical issues for Japan.
through the Gulf of Aden
*Japanese flag vessels, and foreign flag vessels
operated by Japanese shipping companies oroverseas subsidiaries
wholly owned by the companies

Approx.1,700 Vessels
19%
36%

11%
12%

22%

Pure Car CarriersContainer Carriers
Bulk Carrier
Chemical Tankers
OthersTotal is not 100%, due to rounding off1 Piracy Incidents off the Coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden
According to ICC-IMB* in 2022, no piracy incident was reported
around off the coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden.
*International Chamber of Commerce International Maritime Bureau（Number of incidents）

World Total

445

445
410

370
335

439

293
263
219
239
218

297
264 246237 245191

20 18 211251
2275
15 11

201

２０１０２０１１

180

２０１２２０１３195

162
132
115

111
48

２００９Incidents around off thecoast of Somalia and in
the Gulf of Aden

329276２００８0 2

*9 3 0 0 10（Year）'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15 16 '17'18'19'20'21'22

 Japan remains concerned about the threat of piracy off
the coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden. Although
the number of attacks and hijackings has been greatly
decreasing since 2012, the situation could be easily
reversed if the international community reduces itsefforts, considering the fact that Somalia still has theassumed root cause of piracy.

２０１４* 0 incident
in 2015,2 incidents
in 2016

２０１７**0 incident
in 2019~2020
and 2022

２０２１*no incident in 2019~20, 2022

２０１８
=Hijacked=Boarded=Fired upon

=Attempted Attack=Suspicious vessel2

 Japan's Actions against Piracy off the Coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden
 The Counter-Piracy Operation by Japan Maritime Self-Defense Forces(JMSDF) and Japan
Coast Guard(JCG) Act on Special Measures concerning the Guarding of Japanese Ships in Pirate-InfestedWaters
 The Counter-Piracy Operation by JMSDF and JCG (See “Overview” on Page 5)
In Mar. 2009, with the approval of the Prime Minister for “Maritime
Security Operations”, two destroyers of Japan Maritime Self-DefenseForces(JMSDF) started the mission to escort Japan-related vessels in order toprotect them from pirates off the coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden. 8officers of Japan Coast Guard(JCG) also are on board for judicial police activities
of counter-piracy. In Jun. 2009, two P-3C patrol aircraft joined surveillance
activities in the Gulf of Aden to cover the extensive marine area. Also, in viewof the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, Japan subsequentlyenacted “Law for Punishment of Acts of Piracy and Measures to Deal with Actsof Piracy” (Counter-Piracy Measures Act) in Jul. 2009, in order to deal
appropriately and effectively with acts of piracy. Since the following month,
JMSDF and JCG have implemented “Counter-Piracy Operations”. The current
base of these activities is in the Republic of Djibouti.
In Jul. 2013, Government of Japan decided to join in CTF151*, for thepurpose of conducting more flexible and effective operations with othercountries’ forces deployed around Somalia for counter-piracy operations. In Dec.
2013, JMSDF destroyers started “zone defense”** in addition to the escort
missions. And since Feb. 2014, JMSDF’s flight team has been participating in theCTF151.
*In Jun. 2021, CMF and CTF151 were reorganized for the purpose of more efficient operation.
**Stationing in certain waters to protect navigating vessels

JSDF’s Destroyer Escorting
the Merchant Vessel

The JSDF’s Helicopter
Departing the Destroyer3

In Nov. 2016, Government of Japan decided to reduce thenumber of destroyers deployed in the Gulf of Aden from two toone, because the demand of direct escort by JMSDF had been
decreasing and this trend would be expected to continue. Whilevulnerable vessels against pirates, such as tankers with relatively
low speed and low freeboard, still require escort service, someother vessels have taken initiatives of self-defense including
private armed security guards on board. This reduction has been
applied since Dec. 2016.
On the other hand, P-3C patrol aircraft utilize excellent
cruising capability in conducting warning and surveillance
activities. Currently, they are responsible for about 90% of thewarning and surveillance activities of entire multinational
operations by patrol aircraft in the Gulf of Aden. The flightactivities are in total 3,041 flight missions and 21,870 flying hours
as of Dec. 31, 2022, counted from Jun. 2009, when JMSDF started
the surveillance activities. Furthermore, P-3C aircraft haveidentified 261,546 vessels, and provided information to vessels
navigating the area and to other countries engaging in counterpiracy operations on 15,873 occasions.
In addition, four JSDF officers have served as CTF151
Commander so far (May to Aug. in 2015, Mar. to Jun. in 2017, Mar.
to Jun. in 2018 and Feb. to Jun. in 2020). These opportunities
have boosted JSDF reliability in the international community andrepresented JSDF’s continuous contribution to maritime peacekeeping.

The JSDF’s P-3C Ready for
Warning and Surveillance Activities

The JSDF P-3C’s Staff Identifying the Vessel

4Deployed Forces

JSDF’s Counter-Piracy Operations■ DSPE (approx. 200 personnel/1 destroyer)■ DAPE (approx. 60 personnel/2 P-3Cs)■ DGPE (approx. 120 personnel)

International Activities
Aircraft

Naval VesselsDirect Escort

Zone Defense

National Tasking(Japan, China, India etc.)

EUNAVFOR(Spain, Italy etc.)

EUNAVFOR(Spain)

CTF151(Japan, Korea, Pakistanetc.)

CTF151(Japan)

CTF151[Surveillance activities(P-3C patrol aircraft)]
Provision of information from the airspaceover the escort route

Yemen

Djibouti
CTF151

Zone Defense ※Somaliakm

Deterring acts of piracy by warningand surveillance activities

National Tasking

or

Direct Escort ※Accompanying the convoy

Potions Copyright©2016 GeoCatalog Inc.
Source: Esri, DigitalGlobe, Earthstar Geographics, CNES/Airbus DS, USDA, USGS,
GeoEye, Getmapping, AeroGRID, IGP, UPR-EGP, and the GIS Community5 Outline of the Escorted Vessels and Seafarers
As of Dec. 31 2022, 3,947 vessels have been escorted under the protection of JMSDF’s destroyers. Not a single vessel
has come to any harm from pirates, and these vessels have all passed safely through the Gulf of Aden. The Ministry of Land,Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism(MLIT) of Japan provides a single contact point for coordination with JMSDF’s escort.

Escort Results of 2022
Type of VesselsTanker1

Bulk Carrier

1

GeneralCargo Ship1Nationality of Vessels
PanamaJapan-Affiliated Vessels 5
Other Nationality Vessels 24Container
05101Russia

12India

96

Philippines

10Singapore

Russia2446810Nationality of Seafarers

1Russia

1155Japan

Liberia0Nationality of Operating Companies
Singapore

468102121110100Japan-Affiliated Vessels

117

Other Nationality Vessels

32200

300

Japan-Affiliated Vessels : Japanese flag vessels, and foreign flag vessels operated by Japanese shipping companies, owned by Japanese
ship owners, or managed by Japanese ship management companies etc. to be related to Japan6 Act on Special Measures concerning the Guarding of Japanese Ships in Pirate-Infested Waters(Act No.75 of 2013, Enacted on Nov. 13 2013 , Enforced on Nov. 30 2013, Revised on Dec. 1 2022)

The number of piracy incidents in the Gulf of Aden rapidly increased in 2008, and later spread to the Indian Ocean.
Under these circumstances, it became common among major maritime countries that Privately Contracted ArmedSecurity Personnel (PCASP) were on-board of their flag vessels. These PCASP contributed to the decrease of attacks bythe pirates. However, under Japanese laws, it was prohibited to employ PCASP on Japanese flag vessels .
Therefore, the Act on Special Measures Concerning the Guarding of Japanese Ships in Pirate-Infested Waters wasenforced on Nov. 30 2013 to ensure the security of Japanese flag vessels by PCASP. And on Dec. 1 2022, the Act wasrevised to expand* the coverage of Japanese flag vessels with PCASP on-board.
Under the Act, PCASP confirmed by Minister of MLIT of Japan can guard Japanese flag vessels in the PirateInfested Waters, based on Designated Guarding Plan authorized by the Minister.
*The coverage was expanded to bulk carriers, LPG vessels and chemical tankers etc. in addition to oil tankers.

Overview of the Act(1) Applicable sea areas: Pirate-infested waters as shown in the map
Applicable vessels: Japanese flag vessels vulnerable to piracyattacks(2) Ship owners, seeking to protect their vessels
by PCASP, shall submit, for each vessel,
Designated Guarding Plan(DGP) specifying any
Private Maritime Security Companies (PMSC),
implementation method of guarding, etc., andshall obtain the authorization from Minister ofMLIT of Japan.
(3) The ship owners, before they implement theirDGPs, shall obtain confirmation from theMinister that both the PMSC and the PCASP
meet all requirements stipulated by the Act.

SOUTH
SUDAN

Pirate-Infested Waters

7 Joint Exercises with Other Countries’ Forces
In 2022, JSDF’s counter-piracy units conducted joint exercises as follows, with various navies of European Union
Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) and CTF151, off the coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden.
Month
September

JSDF
Destroyer“Harusame”

EU NAVFOR

Types of Exercises“Guepratte” (French Navy)

Approaching Maneuvering, Cross-deck and Photographing
Search, Identification and Photographing

November

P-3CP-3M (Spanish Air Force)

Month

JSDF
Destroyer“Harusame”

CTF151

Types of Exercises“Burgazada” (Turkish Navy)

On-site Inspection, Maneuvering Exercise and Photographing

October

Exercise with EUNAVFOR (French Navy) in Sep.

Exercise with Turkish Navy in Oct.

8 Japan’s Financial and Technical Cooperation to Tackle Piracy
Assistance to Somalia
The total amount of financial Assistance to Somalia (2007-2021 Fiscal Year): US$530 million
Japan shares the view with the international community that improving of the capability ofSomali Authority is urgently needed for the stability of Somalia. From this point of view, since 2007
Japan has been providing Somalia through international and regional organizations with necessary
Restoration for Regional Stability
assistance for responding to humanitarian crisis and for stabilizing such sectors as public security,
through
Skills & Employment for thehumanitarian assistance, and infrastructure with the following three pillars.
Youth in Somalia
1) Recovery of Basic Social Services
Food aid, Water supplies, Public health, Education, Basic infrastructure development,
Humanitarian Assistance including enhancement of human security
2) Improvement of the Capability of Security Institutions
Assistance to Somali Police ForceAssistance to enhance border control
Collection and destruction of small arms and light weapons in the Horn of Africa3) Revitalization of Domestic Industries
Vocational training, Employment generation
Repairing of markets
Arresting Techniques Training by JCG’s Officers

Assistance to Improve Capacities
for Maritime Security in the Region
Contributing US$15.53 million to the “IMO Djibouti Code of Conduct Trust Fund” (a Japaninitiated multi-donor trust fund) for capacity-building in Somalia and its neighboring countries(including assistance for construction of the Djibouti Regional Training Centre) , and US$4.50
million to the “Trust Fund to Support the Initiatives of States Countering Piracy off the Coast ofSomalia” for the purpose of prosecution of suspected pirates.
Providing patrol vessels and technical assistance to Djibouti Coast Guard for the improvementof its capacities for maritime security.

Boarding Inspection Training

9