Country Reports on Terrorism 2010 - Japan
| Publisher | United States Department of State |
| Publication Date | 18 August 2011 |
| Cite as | United States Department of State, Country Reports on Terrorism 2010 - Japan, 18 August 2011, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/4e52482537.html [accessed 22 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Overview: Japan continued to take active measures to prevent the spread of terrorism through stringent border security enforcement, counterterrorism capacity building assistance, and legislation aimed at stemming the flow of terrorist financing. In coordination with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Customs and Border Protection (CBP), several Japanese agencies have strengthened immigration procedures as well as port and shipping security.
Legislation and Law Enforcement: Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan's Immigration Bureau, the National Police Agency (NPA), and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism coordinated with the CBP's Immigration Advisory Program on preventing terrorists and other high-risk travelers from boarding commercial aircraft bound for the United States.
Under the Container Security Initiative (CSI), Japanese Customs authorities worked with CBP Officers at four Japanese seaports to review ship manifests and to screen suspicious containers bound for the United States. Under a reciprocal bilateral agreement, Japanese Customs also deploys officers to work with CBP at the Port of Long Beach, California to screen U.S. export shipments bound for Japan.
The NPA and the Public Security Intelligence Agency continued to monitor the activities of Aum Shinrikyo, renamed Aleph, and splinter group Hikari no Wa, or "Circle of Light."
Regional and International Cooperation: Japan continued to assist counterterrorism capacity building in neighboring countries through dialogue, seminars, workshops, and training. The Japanese Coast Guard, for example, provided capacity building services and training seminars to authorities from states that border the Straits of Malacca. In March, Japan decided to extend Counterterrorism and Security Enhancement grant aid to Uzbekistan. In June, Japan extended similar grant aid to Indonesia.
In March, the Japanese hosted an Aviation Security Ministerial Conference, attended by U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano, for top officials from the Asia/Pacific region and the International Civil Aviation Organization to discuss ways to bolster global aviation security. Also in March, the Japan-Singapore Joint APEC Seminar on Securing Maritime Trade through Counterterrorism Efforts was held in Tokyo. In June, Japanese officials took part in the Fourth Japan-Republic of Korea (South Korea) Counterterrorism Consultations. The same month, Japan co-chaired the Fifth Japan-ASEAN Counterterrorism Dialogue in Bali, Indonesia. In December, Japan participated in the sixth annual U.S.-Japan-Australia Trilateral Strategic Dialogue Counterterrorism Consultations in Melbourne, Australia.
Countering Terrorist Finance: The Diet (Japanese Parliament) amended Customs Act secondary legislation, which addressed in part a Financial Action Task Force recommendation pertaining to cross-border currency declaration and disclosure.
