JPC Activities & Events 2022

On July 19, 2022, the Head of Ethiopian Defence Peacekeeping Center (PKC), Brigadier General Mekonnen Asfaw and the Commandant of the Ethiopian International Peace Support Training Institute (IPSTI), Brigadier General Sebsibe Duba visited the Japan Peacekeeping Training and Research Center (JPC).
　The JPC’s Executive Research Fellow briefed them on the JPC, and Brig.Gen. Sebsibe briefed on Ethiopia’s PKC and IPSTI, followed by opinion changes on training and research.
　In the opinion exchange, both countries shared the current situation and challenges of training and research on international peace activities and expressed the hope for deepened ties between the two countries through exchanges including Ethiopia’s seminar and JPC’s symposium.
　The JPC will reflect the results from these exchanges in the JPC’s training and research efforts.

On June 28, 2022, the Japan Peacekeeping Training and Research Center (JPC Director: Colonel OSADA Eiichiro, GSDF) held the 2nd Peace Operation Workshop of FY 2022.
　This workshop is aimed at acquiring knowledge necessary for education and research on international peacekeeping operations. This time it was themed on “The Invaluable Experience and Benefits of working at United Nations Headquarters” and one of our researchers, Colonel ARAI Nobuhiro, GSDF, the former Military Planning Officer, Office of Military Affairs, UN DPO (Department of Peace Operations) (-April 2022) gave a lecture on it.
　The workshop was held both online and in-person with the participants from JPC, Secretariat of the International Peace Cooperation Headquarters (Cabinet Office), Foreign Policy Bureau (Ministry of Foreign Affairs), Internal Bureau (Ministry of Defense), Joint Staff, and International Peace Cooperation Activities Training Unit (GSDF). After his invaluable lecture, the participants asked him questions and exchanged opinions on future challenges in frank and open discussions.
　The JPC will continue to improve the quality of its training and research through workshops.

On June 23, 2022, Colonel ARAI Nobuhiro, GSDF, research officer of Japan Peacekeeping and Training and Research Center (JPC) was invited as a guest lecture by the Faculty of Global Communications, Toyo Gakuen University.
　The lecture was themed on “The International Peace Cooperation by MOD/SDF and Working at the United Nations Headquarters” and COL ARAI briefed about the international peace cooperation activities by the SDF, its overview, and his working experience at the UN headquarters.
　Some students who are interested in the SDF supported the shooting of the lecture. COL ARAI gave a lecture based on requests from the university. After the shooting, the students asked COL ARAI some questions about the international peace cooperation activities by the SDF and his working experience at the UN.
　The university distributed the recorded lecture to the students to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
　The JPC will make efforts in the education and the research of the international peace cooperation.

From May 17 to 19, 2022, Colonel OSADA Eiichiro, GSDF, Director of Japan Peacekeeping and Training and Research Center (JPC) and Major OGAWA Akira, GSDF, research officer of JPC, visited German Armed Forces United Nations Training Centre (DEU UN TC) in Hammelburg, Germany, with the aim to observe the education and training of foreign armed forces and exchange opinions with them.
　During the visit, COL OSADA and MAJ OGAWA were briefed on the overview of the DEU UN TC, observed the trainings, and exchanged opinions with Commander of DEU CN TC. They recognized the importance of strengthening the cooperation in education and training between both countries’ Centers and learned a lot through observing the practical trainings and visiting training facilities. Furthermore, they also recognized the importance of education through exchanging the views with the German graduate of the JPC’s training course.
　The JPC will reflect the results from this visit in the JPC’s training and research efforts.

From May 2 to 6, 2022, Lieutenant Colonel ARAKI Junko, research officer at the Japan Peacekeeping Training and Research Center (JPC), participated in the Peacekeeping-Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (PKISR) workshop at the Swedish Armed Forces International Centre (SWEDINT).
　The United Nations has been focusing on PKISR recently and the workshop was held in-person for the first time. During this workshop, LTC ARAKI learned about the basic principles of PKISR and she discussed the future challenges in PKISR and the lessons learned with the participants form UN Department of Peace Operations (DPO), Department of Operational Support (DOS), PKO personnel and working-level staffs of member states.
　The workshop was also held online and Lieutenant Colonel AWAJI Daisuke, research officer at the JPC, participated in it from Japan. It had 20 in-person and 20 online participants from member states and PKO missions and which shows each member state’s strong interest in PKISR.
　It was a significant benefit for the JPC to expand personal network with UN staff and member state’s military personnel through the workshop. The JPC will reflect the results from this workshop in the JPC’s training and research efforts.

On April 14, 2022, the Japan Peacekeeping Training and Research Center (JPC Director: Colonel OSADA Eiichiro, GSDF) held the 1st Peace Operation Workshop of FY 2022, inviting as a lecture, Ms. MASTUZAWA Tomoko of Director, Defense Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific Region, Defense Policy Bureau, MOD & Co-chair of ADMM-Plus^* PKO Experts Group.
　This workshop is aimed at acquiring knowledge necessary for education and research on international peacekeeping operations, and was themed on “The Trends of Women, Peace and Security (WPS) in PKO” this time. The workshop was held both online and in-person with the participants from JPC, Foreign Policy Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Joint Staff, International Peace Cooperation Activities Training Unit (GSDF), United Nations in New York, and UNMISS.
　In the workshop, the lecturer briefed on the trends of WPS in PKO, MOD’s recent efforts and challenges in this field with her extensive experience. Also, the participants exchanged opinions on future challenges in frank and open discussions.
　The JPC will continue to improve the quality of its training and research through workshops.

^*ADMM Plus･･･ADMM (ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting) Plus

On March 4, 2022, the Japan Peacekeeping Training and Research Center (JPC, Director: Col. OSADA Eiichiro) held the 4th Peace Operation Workshop of FY2021, inviting as the lecturer, Major KANETSUKA Tomonari of the Ground Component Command who had been dispatched to United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS) on the 12th deployment.
　This workshop is aimed at acquiring knowledge necessary for research on international peacekeeping operations, and was themed on “Request for the Center’s training based on the experience of the UNMISS staff officer” this time.
　In the workshop, the lecturer commented that the JPC’s Basic Course which he attended was really beneficial for the duty in the UNMISS headquarters. Also, he made constructive proposals and ideas for the training courses the JPC offers, and exchanged opinions on the current situation of the mission.
　The JPC periodically exchanges opinions with dispatched personnel, and will continue to improve the quality of its training and research.