JPC Activities & Events 2016

From 28 November through 3 December 2016, COL Kei Sekiguchi, Director of the Japan Peacekeeping Training and Research Center (JPC) made a courtesy call on the Director of the Jordan Peace Operation Training Centre in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The visit of this time was carried out as part of bilateral exchanges between Japan and Jordan, based on the Memorandum signed between the Ministries of Defense of both countries in October 2016. The JPC will continue to promote interactions with the Jordanian side in various ways.

From 20 through 30 November 2016, Lt Col Daisuke Awaji, a research officer of the Japan Peacekeeping Training and Research Center (JPC), took the Arab Culture Awareness Course held by the Jordan Peace Operation Training Centre in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Through this course, Lt Col Awaji acquired the knowledge on the structure and characteristics of Arabic society, and has further improved his capacity as a research officer.
　The JPC will incorporate what he has learned into future training and research activities of the Center.

From 19 November through 3 December 2016, LTC Yuichiro Endo, a research officer of the Japan Peacekeeping Training and Research Center (JPC), participated in the Civil Military Relations Course (CMR) held by the Sweden Armed Forces International Center.
　Through the CMR, participants from the member countries of the United Nations learn the knowledge and experience on the procedures as to how civil, police and military assets should coordinate and cooperate each other in order to accomplish missions. This time, eighteen officers from twelve countries in African, Western and other areas including Japan participated in the Course.
　LTC Endo was able not only to learn from the course curriculum itself but also to deepen mutual understanding, share experience, and build relationship with those participants, and all these opportunities surely led to the improvement of his personal qualities as a research officer.
　The JPC will incorporate what he has learned into future training and research activities of the Center.

COL Kei Sekiguchi, Director of the Japan Peacekeeping Training and Research Center (JPC), participated in the IAPTC^* annual meeting held in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 22 September to 1 October 2016. COL Sekiguchi surveyed the moves of recent trends in training required for UN peacekeeping activities to have them reflected on the training and research approaches employed by the JPC. He also sought to promote awareness among relevant overseas organizations about Japan’s efforts on international peace cooperation activities.
　*IAPTC: International Association of Peacekeeping Centers

Between 17 and 19 October 2016, COL Hiroyuki Ogura, a senior research officer of the Japan Peacekeeping and Research Center (JPC), participated in the ADMM-Plus convened in South Korea. COL Ogura exchanged views on peacekeeping operations with participants from other countries.
　The outcomes obtained this time shall be reflected on the future course curricula and research activities of the Center.

　*1　ADMM: ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting
　*2　EWG: Experts’ Working Group

On 13 October 2016, LtCol Akylbay Kusainov, a senior officer of the Planning and Coordination Division for International Peace Cooperation Training, General Staff Office of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan, visited the Japan Peacekeeping Training Center (JPC) with another Division member. They came to Japan in connection with the Capacity Building Assistance Project. Following an office call on COL Kei Sekiguchi, the Director of JPC, they received an overview briefing on the JPC and had a lively discussion with JPC officers on the future bilateral cooperation for training in the field of PKO.

On 16 September 2016, the Japan Peacekeeping and Training Center (JPC) took an inspection by ADM Katsutoshi Kawano, the Chief of Staff, Joint Staff for the first time after its relocation to Ichigaya. After an overview briefing, the Commandant of Joint Staff College showed ADM Kawano and his party around the new JPC facilities, including the Vice Chief of Staff, the Administrative Chief of Staff, JS and other leaderships.

On 15 September 2016, BG Tran Vo Dung and his party from Vietnam Ministry of Defense made a study tour of the Japan Peacekeeping and Training Center (JPC). They had a lively discussion including questioning and answering with JPC research officers on the training issues including PKO, and which provided both sides with a good opportunity to make the partnership closer.

On 5 September 2016, the Japan Peacekeeping and Training Center (JPC) held a ceremony to commemorate its relocation to F-2 Building, Ichigaya, inviting Dr. Noriaki Nakamura, the Director of the National Institute for Defense Studies as an honored guest. VADM Ryuzou Sakata, the commandant of Joint Staff College, encouraged all the JPC members to work harder by addressing that he expects them to perform their mission proactively in a new work environment under the initiative of COL Kei Sekiguchi, the Director of JPC and make further contributions to peace cooperation activities, and eventually to the international peace and stability.

On 1 September 2016, the Japan Peacekeeping Training and Research Center (JPC) moved to the central office area of MOD at Ichigaya. Please access the information on our new office from here: We appreciate your continued understanding and support to the activities of JPC.

COL Kei Sekiguchi, Director of the Japan Peacekeeping Training and Research Center (JPC), participated in the AAPTC* annual meeting held in Philippines from 26 June to 1 July. During the meeting, COL Sekiguchi exchanged information and opinions with representatives from member countries, who are concerned with international peacekeeping activities.
　The JPC commits to steadily enhancing confidence and cooperation between partners in Asia-Pacific region by making the most of those opportunities.

　*AAPTC: Association of Asia-Pacific Peace Operations Training Centers

On 17 June 2016, COL Bradley Orchard, the Director of the National Action Plan (NAP) on Women, Peace, and Security*, Office of Chief of Defence Force, Australia, paid a visit to the Japan Peacekeeping Training and Research Center (JPC). He was accompanied by two personnel, and made a courtesy call to the Commandant of the Joint Staff College following the discussion with JPC research officers.
　His primary purpose for visiting Japan this time was to participate in a research support program called “Operationalising Human Rights Norms in Peace Missions” sponsored by the Australia-Japan Foundation, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). Making good use of this opportunity, COL Orchard came to visit the JPC.
　During the discussion with our research officers, COL Orchard presented a briefing on the progress of the NAP and shared with them his empirical knowledge and valuable insight regarding the execution of the Plan by the Australian Defence Force (ADF). In addition, he along with LtCmdr Jacqueline Swinton, a Legal Officer as well as the Gender Advisor, Royal Australian Navy and Ms. Amy Sheridan, the Assistant Director of Civil-Military Policy and Stabilization Section, DFAT held a lively discussion. They discussed various issues such as the role of the ADF Gender Advisor during international disaster relief activities, a role which LtCmdr Swinton actually filled in Fiji. The group also talked about the Guidelines for Protection of Civilians laid down this year by the Australian Government and the introduction of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 into the Exercise “Talisman Sabre 2015”, in both of which Ms. Sheridan had a lead role.
　The JPC will continue to take advantage of these defense exchange opportunities to help our research officers further improve their capabilities and play our part in building strong partnerships with foreign countries.

　* National Action Plan (NAP) on Women, Peace, and Security: A plan determining specific working items and their target dates for each country to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1325. Each member country decides on its own national plan; Australia (2012), Japan (2015)

Lt Col Daisuke Awaji, a research officer of the Japan Peacekeeping Training and Research Center (JPC), participated in the multinational peacekeeping operations exercise "Khaan Quest 2016", conducted in Mongolia from 21 May to 5 June. He acquired knowledge and skills required as a staff officer assigned to international peacekeeping missions.
　The JPC will incorporate what he has learned into future course curricula of the Center.

Since 1 July 2016, the Japan Peacekeeping Training and Research Center (JPC)　has updated its logo mark. We appreciate your continued understanding and support to the activities of JPC.

From 17 through 30 April 2016, LTC Yuichiro Endo, a research officer of the Japan Peacekeeping Training and Research Center (JPC), participated in the United Nations Training of Trainers (TOT) held in Malaysia.
　This training program is co-hosted by the UN and its member countries, in order to foster instructors specialized in the UN peacekeeping operations. In October 2015, the JPC hosted the TOT in Tokyo, with the support of the UN. The TOT 2016 was co-hosted by the UN and Malaysia, accepted 30 participants from 15 countries in the Asia-Pacific region, and focused on "Protection of Civilians".
　Through the program, LTC Endo was able not only to acquire the teaching methodology on the subject matter, but also broaden his views about the Protection of Civilians via lively discussions with participants from different countries. The JPC will incorporate what he has learned into future course curricula of the Center.