Professor Atsuko Kanehara serves as the Councillor of the Advisory Council at the National Headquarters for Ocean Policy of Japan, appointed by the Japanese Prime Minister. She was the chairperson of the subcommittee on maritime security under the Advisory Council in 2017. Professor Kanehara also is the Councillor of the Japanese Society of International Law (JSIL) as well as the International Law Association (ILA), Japan branch. She is a member of the Board of Governors of the UN IMO International Maritime Law Institute and works at the Law Faculty of Sophia University in Japan.
 Prof. Atsuko Kanehara |
Professor Kanehara is one of the key architects of the recently unveiled ‘Third Basic Plan on Japan’s Ocean Policy’ which garnered high interest not only in Japan, but worldwide. She was in Sri Lanka too a few months back to deliver a special guest lecture on the topic ‘Japan’s Ocean Policy in the Context of the Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy’, at the Colombo University.
In this interview with the Daily News during a recent visit to Tokyo by this writer, Professor Kanehara shares her knowledge, experience and views on Japan’s Ocean Policy, and adoption of the Third Basic Plan and how it promotes safe seas and the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, while preserving the health of the ocean ecosystem.
Excerpts of the interview follow.
Q: You mentioned in my last interview that in the Third Basic Plan, maritime security is the main pillar. Compared with the First and Second Plans, what is the reason that maritime security occupies a large portion in the Third Plan?
A: I will express my opinion as an expert and not as a representative of the Japanese government. My understanding is that there were several factors which motivated the Japanese government and the National Headquarters for Ocean Policy of Japan to decide that the Third Basic Plan should have maritime security as its main pillar. One is the tensions in the East China Sea in terms of the relationship with North Korea and China. Unfortunately, a tense situation has prevailed for some time. So this is one of the factors which influenced the Japanese government to have maritime security as the main pillar of the Third Basic Plan of its Ocean Policy. It is true that this is the first time maritime security has been recognised as the main pillar in Japan’s Ocean Policy. In the First and Second Basic Plan, maritime security was sporadically included; the plans mainly dealt with safety of navigation, prevention of natural disasters, and security issues. But they did not deal with maritime security in a comprehensive and integrated manner. Maritime security in the Third Basic Plan encompasses a wide area, not only defence issues, but law enforcement, prevention of smuggling, trafficking, piracy and environment protection. It is true that maritime security is the main pillar in the Third Basic Plan, but it encompasses a wide range of other subjects too.
Q: You said in the Third Basic Plan not only defence issues, but law enforcement, disaster relief, managing resources, and environmental destruction are also broadly and widely explained under the subject of comprehensive maritime security. Could you explain these themes in detail?
A: I was the chairperson of the subcommittee on maritime security at the National Headquarters. I consulted many authorities whose fields are public international law and international relations. There is a strong and definite tendency for authorities to understand maritime security in a very wide manner. Not only defence issues, but also law enforcement, disaster relief, managing resources, environmental destruction, illegal migration and smuggling, and fishing are broadly and widely explained and understood under the subject of comprehensive maritime security. However, when it comes to the public, the perspective is a bit different. This is totally my private opinion.
As you know, Japan has a unique history. Japan was defeated in World War II. Following the devastation, my parents’ generation particularly was very sensitive to overtly speaking of issues such as further militarisation, national interest, and security. But I think my generation and the younger generation need to understand that security is a very important issue to Japan as a sovereign state.
The time has come for the Japanese government to deal with maritime security comprehensively. By doing so, the Japanese government seems to require understanding of the public of the necessity to seriously re-think maritime security. Defence issues alone might cause a negative reaction from the public.
Q: As one of the main collaborators, can you describe the reaction of the people inside and outside of Japan to the Third Basic Plan of Japan’s Ocean Policy?
A: Japan adopted the Third Basic Plan on Ocean Policy as a Cabinet decision on May 15, this year. Immediately after it was released, almost all the Japanese media said the government shifted its base from economic and financial importance of the oceans to national security. Generally speaking, it was not a bad thing for the media to speak so widely about the Third Basic Plan of the Japan’s Ocean Policy because it is necessary for the Japanese people to know what Japan’s policies related to oceans are.
However, the others who prepared the draft of the Third Basic Plan and I were worried about this media blitz. We thought the people may misunderstand this as a total shift from economic utilisation of the oceans to security. The headlines or the punch lines in the newspapers and journals said in big letters “from economic utility to national security” which can give a very false impression to the Japanese people. For example, even some of the Western media did the same thing as the Japanese media. So I and others who prepared the Third Basic Plan were worried about the possible negative reaction of the Japanese people to the media reports. After this, I delivered six or seven lectures on the Third Basic Plan and tried to convince people or the audience that Japan is considering maritime security very broadly, not only the defence issue but other maritime issues as well. I will continue this endeavour as much as possible domestically as well as internationally. To alleviate the misunderstandings, the other experts and I have taken every opportunity to explain the intent of the Japanese government to the Japanese people.
Q: Given the response, in what manner do you think Japan should formulate future maritime security policies?
A: The wide range of areas encompassed in maritime security has merit. So many Japanese people and Japanese bureaucrats should know what they are doing is actually related to maritime security. So I hope this kind of understanding, recognition and acknowledgement will have a positive impact on the Japanese people. On the other hand, there is a negative side as well, because maritime security relates to such a wide range of issues and areas that it is difficult to practically find out the level of achievements. So now the National Headquarters for Ocean Policy is seeking information from each ministry or each agency, to review their achievements and contribution to the realisation of goals in maritime policy and security.
Q: In Sri Lanka a mechanism like what you have in Japan is lacking. What experiences can Sri Lanka gain from Japan’s Ocean Policy and its implementation? In your view, how important is it for Sri Lanka to have a robust Ocean Policy?
A: It is beneficial for your country to have a headquarters like ours. I do not know how the bureaucratic system works in Sri Lanka. In Japan there is a strong bureaucracy and each ministry and agency has strong capacity. They are also very efficient. So at times they are not happy to take orders from the top. Japan is still struggling to integrate the two systems in a parallel manner. Integration of Japan’s authorities to realise its ocean policy and the horizontal distribution of powers among the relevant ministries and agencies. One institution which coordinates the work of all stakeholders is really required. Maybe Sri Lanka can experiment with a method like ours.
Q: Will Japan’s Ocean Policy benefit the Indian Ocean nations?
A: The Ocean Policy is mainly about Japan. But the free and open Indo-Pacific vision which the Japanese government has strongly promoted for over a decade will benefit the region. For that strategy, it is needless to say that your country is very important to Japan and really a key player. We have to share a common strategic objective of ensuring peace, stability and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region. Sri Lanka can play a greater role as a regional hub which would connect trade flows among ASEAN, India, the Middle East and Africa through free and open seas.
Q: What are the main obstacles and challenges that Japan will face when implementing the Ocean Policy successfully?
A: I strongly expect that Japanese ministries and agencies will function properly and efficiently. But I am not sure the top-down system will be so strong and efficient in the short term. My thinking is it will take a long time to work properly. However, they are not easy tasks for Japan. This is due to the efficient sector-specific distribution of powers among the ministries and agencies. Therefore, Japan needs, on the one hand, to firmly proceed to the integrative achievement of its ocean policies regarding maritime security. On the other hand, Japan has to keep and enhance the efficient sector-specific distribution of powers among the authorities; both should make progress in a parallel manner. This is the main challenge.
Q: Do you think it is important to educate the younger generation on subjects such as maritime law and ocean policy?
A: In the Third Basic Plan the development of human resources and also education related to maritime issues or ocean policies are mentioned as very important. Unfortunately, although Japan is surrounded by the ocean, the younger generation does not know much about the ocean. They do not have much interest in ocean issues. So we need to educate them that the ocean is very important. I am not exaggerating this. The ocean is Japan’s lifeline, because Japan has limited natural resources and we depend heavily on imports through oceans. In that context, safe sea lanes and transshipment are very important subjects for Japan. So the Japanese people should know what an important role the ocean plays in their everyday life. But recent research suggests that the younger generation does not know much about ocean-related issues. So it is very important to educate the younger generation about issues such as maritime law and ocean policies.
Add new comment