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Japanese Counterterrorism Measures, Present and Future

Webmaster's Note: This information was derived from official Japanese government publications.

Present counterterrorism measures

The arrest of terrorists and measures to prevent terrorism

It has been a long-standing practice for the police to send officers abroad for exchange of information with foreign authorities and gathering information on the Japanese Red Army and other international terrorist groups in order to fully implement various counterterrorism measures.
The Police have also been making vigorous efforts, in cooperation with domestic authorities, to intercept at our seaports and airports the infiltration of international terrorists and the smuggling of arms, chemical substances and other materials that terrorists may use as means of terrorism.

International support for counterterrorism

The National Police Agency (NPA) provides international technical assistance on counterterrorism in line with Japan's Official Development Assistance (ODA) programs. It holds seminars mainly for developing countries introducing the uses of equipment and materials to counter terrorism, transferring the technology on the classification and analysis of information and materials, and detecting forged passports.

Safety of Japanese residents abroad

As involved in incidents including terrorism, Japanese companies and their resident officers abroad are seeking measures for their safety abroad. In response, the Council for Public Policy (CPP) and other organizations are hosting seminars on security measures for overseas Japanese companies since 1993. The NPA supports the seminar by dispatch of lecturers, etc.

Participation in international conferences, etc.

In the United Nations fora and the summit conferences of industrialized countries, concrete and wide-ranging measures against international terrorism have been discussed, which significantly transcends the conventional concept of international cooperation. Japanese police have also participated in these fora to promote international cooperation vigorously.
In 1996, Japan presented a report on the investigations on incidents relating to the Aum Shinrikyo cult at an expert meeting on biological and chemical terrorism. At the G7/P8 Ministerial Conference on Terrorism convened in Paris on July 30, the Chairman of Japan's National Public Safety Commission reported on the efforts of Japanese police to strengthen their capability of scientific criminal investigation, to improve their information gathering capability relating to terrorism, and to promote bilateral and multilateral information exchanges.
Among counterterrorism conventions, the conclusion of the Convention on Marking of Plastic Explosives for the Purpose of Detection was approved by the Diet in June 1997, and now related domestic legislation is under way.

Legislation

Law Related to the Prevention of Bodily Harm Caused by Sarin and Similar Substances
In the aftermath of the criminal incidents committed by the Aum Shinrikyo cult, the Law Related to the Prevention of Bodily Harm Caused by Sarin and Similar Substances was enacted and promulgated in April 1995. It prohibits the manufacture and possession of sarin and similar substances, and punishes the act of spraying these substances, and so on.

Revision of the Police Law

In June 1996, the Police Law was partly revised to enable prefectural police to extend their authority out of their border by their own judgment and responsibility in dealing with transprefectural organized crimes. The revised law authorizes the Commissioner General of the National Police Agency to direct prefectural police forces regarding work assignment, etc. so that Japanese police, as a while, can cope with transprefectural organized crimes rapidly and properly.

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G7/P8 Ministerial Conference on Terrorism(Paris)

Future anti-terrorism measures in Japan

The seizure by terrorists of the Japanese Ambassador's Residence in Peru has driven home the severe reality that Japanese interests and Japanese residents abroad are targets of international terrorism. At the same time, we can learn many lessons in responding to similar incidents should they occur in the future.

At the Denver Summit in June 1997, each nation was required to take measures "to strengthen the capability of hostage negotiation experts and counterterrorism response units, to deter the use of materials of mass destruction and attack on electronic and computer infrastructure", etc.

In these circumstances, the Japanese police will promote the following anti-terrorism measures.

Strengthening information gathering and analyzing capability
The police are promoting more specialized and comprehensive activities to gather and analyze information while making greater efforts to quickly detect potential terrorist groups at an early stage.
Diplomatic establishments abroad have been required to enhance their information gathering and security system. The police, are also required to assist the enhancement, by upgrading the systems and working out better coordination with local authorities through security officers dispatched from the Japanese police.

Enhancing Special Assault Team (SAT)

Another lesson from the seizure of the Japanese Ambassador's Residence in Peru, is the necessity of strengthening the Special Assault Team(SAT) in order to cope with similar incidents in Japan.
On the agenda with priority are the improvement of the SAT capabilities to cope with various cases by through going training, and strengthening of the emergency preparedness system of the teams stationed in seven prefectural police headquarters.

Strengthening the systems of countering and investigating terrorism

Preparedness for a sudden outbreak of terrorism abroad includes the arrangement for dispatching a team of anti-terrorism experts as promptly as possible. The team has to operate as the core of the local liaison office of Japan, in establishing coordination with the local authorities, collecting pertinent information speedily and providing support to overseas investigation agencies. In ordinary times, this team should enhance its readiness by exchanging information with relevant agencies, and studying the methods of investigating and preventing international terrorism as well as those of hostages negotiation.
In light of the fact that new types of terrorism like "NBC terrorism" and "Cyber terrorism" are likely to strike in these years, consideration should be given urgently to the prevention and investigation of the new forms of terrorism.
Another task of urgency is to reconstitute the system of coastal surveillance in cooperation with relevant organizations for preventing terrorism in case of emergency.

Efforts to promote international cooperation

Japanese police, as a member of the government, will step up its efforts to promote international cooperation through international conferences and with both domestic and foreign authorities. At the Denver Summit, Japan proposed to hold an expert meeting on anti-terrorism measures mainly against hostage taking. With the approval of participating countries, the meeting was held in December 1997. We will vigorously participate in such international conferences also in the future.
We are strengthening cooperation with foreign authorities especially in Asia and the Pacific region, to by exchanging information with officers of the United States, ROK, etc. To strengthen cooperation with ASEAN countries, the Japan-ASEAN Conference on Counterterrorism was held in Tokyo in October. Also we are to establish closer cooperative relationship with Latin America, Western Europe and the Middle East countries through sharing of information and experiences.

Study of counterterrorism legislation

Of measures against organized crimes by terrorist groups, etc., the control of their found raising is so effective that the 25 practical measures adopted at the G7/P8 Ministerial Conference on Terrorism (Paris) in July 1996 require each country to establish measures to block the flow of funds to terrorists and terrorist organizations, to strengthen information exchange on international capital flows regarding terrorist activities, and to consider regulatory measures. Accordingly, the police have been studying counterterrorism legislation including deprivation of illicit proceeds.

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