The following article was published by the Yomiuri Shinbun on July 24th, just before the most recent ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) conference in Laos. It deals with measures to combat piracy and “terrorism” in the Straits of Malacca. As reported by David Adam Stott in Shingetsu Newsletter No. 19, Japan is beginning to take a more active hand in security operations there. This article gives a Japanese perspective on the overall issue.

ARF OUTLOOK: JOINT MARITIME MANEUVERS TO BE HELD
Final Adjustments for Agreement: Security Measures of the Straits of Malacca
By Etsunari Kurose

Joint maritime training will be held in 2006 as a countermeasure against terrorism and piracy in the Straits of Malacca. The military training is planned within the framework of ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), which includes 24 nations and organizations of ASEAN, China, Japan, and others. Final adjustments are proceeding so that the agreement will be reached at the ARF defense meeting and the cabinet council which are to be held in Vientiane. The military training may lead Japan and U.S. to have more influence on security matters of the Straits than ever before.

The joint military exercises were suggested as a specific measure by Singapore, triggered by the ARF statement on cooperation against “Piracy and Other Threats” at a cabinet council held in Phnom Penh in 2003. According to the proposal document that we’ve received, the purpose of the training is “to improve the ability of policing the sea.” The navies of ARF members, a coast guard, and others may join the exercise. They will practice training at sea dealing with scenarios like coping with an attack from a small boat, watching over ships, and so on. In addition, they will train to build a common standard of strategic procedures. Singapore is willing to host the first joint military training exercise.

Concerning the security of the Straits of Malacca, Singapore, with a smaller navy, is eager for “actions based on a multinational framework,” including the US and others. On the other hand, Indonesia and Malaysia totally reject the intervention of unrelated states because they consider it “a threat to the independence and sovereignty of the [nearby] nations” (in the words of Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi).

Especially regarding any intervention by the US, Indonesia and Malaysia are furiously opposed to the statement of Admiral Thomas B. Fargo, Commander of the US Pacific Command, that the US intends to dispatch a special maritime unit to prevent terrorism in the Straits. The reality, however, is that both Indonesia and Malaysia cannot take sufficient action regarding maritime terrorism and piracy because of they have decrepit battleships and less than the number of ships needed. That is why they have agreed to an indirect connection with nations outside the region for assistance to improve their military skills. The US favors the idea of joint military training in the Straits. It is believed that the US gave up its plan for direct intervention (according to a diplomatic expert) and has a new view which can be tolerated by Indonesia and Malaysia.

The military training draws attention as a substantial effort, while ARF, where participants have had a dialogue and cultural exchange in the name of “constructive trust,” might be questioned for its lack of substantial talks.