## Measures against piracy

Japan is a maritime nation that depends largely on maritime transport for the import of energy and food resources and trade. Measures of ensuring the safety of maritime navigation, such as measures against terrorism and piracy, are issues that have a direct link to Japan's prosperity and existence as a nation. Furthermore, the security of sea lanes is extremely important for the economic development of the region. In recent years, many acts of piracy have occurred in the Gulf of Aden and off the coast of Somalia in eastern Africa. Although the efforts of the international community have yielded a certain degree of results, the number of acts of piracy in 2010 amounts to 219, and the area where acts of piracy occur has expanded from the coast of Somalia and the Gulf of Aden to the whole western part of the Indian Ocean., Piracy is becoming a significant threat to the maritime navigation.

In order to counter these threats, Japan is deploying two destroyers and two P-3C maritime patrol aircraft of

Maritime Self-Defense Force to the area off the coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden to conduct counter-piracy activities in accordance with the Anti-piracy Measures Law enacted in June 2009. On board the destroyers are officers of the Japan Coast Guard, so that they can carry out law enforcement activities like criminal investigation and arrest in case of piracy attacks.

In order to solve the issue of piracy off the coast of Somalia, it is necessary to conduct anti-piracy multilayered measures, including enhancing maritime law enforcement capacity of the countries around Somalia and stabilizing the unstable situation in Somalia, which are in the

background of increased damage from piracy. As a part of these efforts, Japan took the initiative in establishing a fund in the International Maritime Organization (IMO $ ^{17} $ ) and contributed 14.6 million to the fund to support the construction of an anti-piracy training center and the establishment of the information sharing centers in the countries around Somalia, and other related efforts.

Japan has also contributed a total of $1.5 million to the Trust Fund to support initiatives of States Countering Piracy off the Coast of Somalia managed by the UNODC, that facilitates prosecution of suspected pirates. In addition, JICA together with Japan Coast Guard has carried out training programs for the control of maritime crime, inviting to maritime security officers from the countries around Somalia. Since 2007, Japan has disbursed approximately $184 million to Somalia in assistance to strengthen domestic security, provide humanitarian aid, and establish the infrastructure.

Maritime security organization and coast guard members from Asia and the Middle East receive training from Japanese Coast Guard officers in the pilothouse of a patrol vessel as part of the training “Maritime Law Enforcement for Asia and Middle East,” implemented with the cooperation of the Japan Coast Guard (Photo: JICA)

## $ ^{*} $ Money laundering

Money laundering refers to the act of disguising funds or proceeds obtained from criminal activities as legally obtained assets, or the act of hiding such funds. Example) A drug dealer opens a bank account under a false name and hides money obtained through drug transactions in that account.