No.27 Japan Defense Focus

Defense Activities

CONTENTS

MEETING WITH FOREIGN LEADERS

Japan-Israel Defense Ministerial Meeting: On Thursday, February 16, 2012, Defense Minister Tanaka held a Japan-Israel defense ministerial meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Barak, and exchanged views on Japan-Israel defense cooperation and exchanges, etc.

Administrative Vice-Minister of Defense visits Indonesia, Myanmar, and Brunei: From Monday, February 20, to Friday, February 24, Administrative Vice-Minister of Defense Kanazawa visited Indonesia, Myanmar and Brunei.

TOPICS

Dispatch of transport unit to the Golan Heights and staff officers: On February 18 and March 3, 43 GSDF personnel of the transport unit to the Golan Heights (33rd Unit) and 3 GSDF personnel as staff officers (17th Unit) were dispatched to the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF).

1st Unit departs for South Sudan: Since mid-January, members of the 1st Unit of the SDF engineer unit have been consecutively dispatched to participate in the United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS).

Pacific Partnership 2012: Pacific Partnership is a program hosted by the U.S. Forces since 2007.

SPECIAL FEATURE

Public Opinion Survey on the Self-Defense Forces and Defense Issues: The Public Opinion Survey on the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) and Defense Issues is conducted every three years since 1969 by Cabinet Office to gauge the trend in public perceptions of the SDF and defense issues.

Q & A Regarding the Selection of the New Fighter: Q1　Why was it necessary to select the new fighter (F-X) at this time?

COLUMN

The 16th Tokyo Defense Forum: The 16th Tokyo Defense Forum (Forum for Defense Authorities in the Asia-Pacific Region) was held in Tokyo, on March 15, 2012, with the participation of officers in charge of defense policy(Director General of Defense ministries and General-class officers)of 24 countries.