Overview
In order to play a more active role for international peace, Japan enacted the Act on Cooperation for United Nations Peacekeeping Operations and Other Operations (PDF 63KB) in June 1992. Ever since then, it has on many occasions provided personnel and in-kind support to efforts for international peace led by the UN.
This law establishes the three pillars of Japan's international peace cooperation: participation in UN peacekeeping operations, contribution to international humanitarian relief operations, and contribution to international election observation operations. It also stipulates that Japan's peacekeeping operations shall be carried out according to the five principles.
The Five Principles
- Agreement on a cease-fire shall have been reached among the parties to armed conflicts.
- Consent for the undertaking of UN peacekeeping operations as well as Japan's participation in such operations shall have been obtained from the host countries as well as the parties to armed conflicts.
- The operations shall strictly maintain impartiality, not favoring any of the parties to armed conflicts.
- Should any of the requirements in the above-mentioned guideline cease to be satisfied, the International Peace Cooperation Corps may suspend International Peace Cooperation Assignments. Unless the requirements be satisfied again in a short term, the Government of Japan may terminate the dispatch of the personnel engaged in International Peace Cooperation Assignments.
- The use of weapons shall be limited to the minimum necessary to protect the lives of personnel, etc.
Three Areas of Cooperation and Their Objectives
Tools of Cooperation
