Abstract
Terrorism has been a matter of concern worldwide especially after the attack on the world trade center which called for the foreign coalition in the fight against terrorism. As a result, law enforcement has been found to play a major role within a broader context of the war on terrorism by encouraging measures such as freezing of assets on terrorists as well as funding anti-terrorism activities in those countries that have joined the international coalition. Such terrorists include the al-Qaida group which has had its main targets as the United States of America and other countries that are allies of the US in the fight against terrorism such as Japan.
Introduction
The attack by terrorists of the world trade center on September 11th that killed not less than 3000 people and several others wounded created a lot of concern worldwide. The seriousness of the terrorist attack was indicated by the international coalition that followed to fight terrorism. As a result, the United States has given the war on terrorism much priority as far as foreign policies are concerned. Other countries have also come up in full support of the US in this war and such a country in the forefront is Japan which out of experience from domestic terrorism was willing to give close cooperation to the US. (Ryun, 2005pp1-2)
Japan’s major priorities on terrorism
Japan’s policies on the fight against terrorism are more oriented towards a global framework than just domestic security around East Asia which implies that Japan has changed its international identity. The general overview on the perception of the Japanese regarding terrorism was shown after the attack on the world trade center when Koizumi the prime minister made a public press statement assuring the commitment of his government in the fight against terrorism and also offered to give the US full support.
Law enforcement in Japan focuses on two main forms of terrorism first of which is caused by the religious cult as was the case in1995 when a cult group used toxic gas in a station based in Tokyo killing several people. Another form of terrorism is from external networks such as al-Qaeda which has a complex structure and therefore hard to be eliminated. The Japanese law enforcement is geared towards suppressing the activities of al-Qaida in the training of terrorists as well as financing their activities with the US and their allies being their main targets. (Ryun, 2005pp4-5)
Policies put in place to fight terrorism
Japanese policies have a greater orientation towards the general foreign policies and they include heavy budgetary allocations for emergency measures on the war. Among the areas targeted by its government in its anti-terrorism measures are immigration and air travel as well as customs cooperation. Other areas include control of exports and ensuring that there is cooperation in enforcing the laws. There is also a special budgetary allocation to finance all the anti-terrorist activities and any other emergency need that may arise. (Ryun, 2005pp5-6)
One of the laws on terrorism requires Japan to provide fuel for the vessels as well as other services to the US forces operating in the Indian Ocean as part of the anti-terrorist operations. Japan has also signed a statement of the APEC Leaders as a sign of commitment in fighting against terrorism which offers guidelines on how to fight terrorism in line with the resolutions arrived at by the United Nations Security Council. Part of the resolution is to freeze all the assets belonging to both Taliban and non-Taliban individuals engaged in terrorist activities. (Ryun, 2005pp6-9)
Conclusion
Japan has been successful in its effort on fighting terrorism especially in suppressing the finances and assets of terrorists such as Osama. The government of Japan has also offered military support to the US causing great influence on global policy passivism of its government. It has given financial assistance to the developing countries around East Asia and other worldwide countries that are willing to enter into a coalition in the anti-terrorism.
References
Ryun Y. (2005): The war on terror: Winter/ spring pp1-9.
War on Terror and Japan’s National.