State Counter Terrorism Strategy and Plans for Japan Essay

State Counter Terrorism Strategy and Plans for Japan - Essay Example Aum Shinrikyo is an indigenous terrorist group arising in Japan (Hidaeki, 2003). The group also carried out certain marginally successful attacks on the Diet and the Crown Prince’s wedding with botulin toxin and attempted an anthrax attack on the people of streets of Tokyo (Branscomb, 2004). This paper primarily deals with the counter terrorism strategies and action plans for Japan in current context and also for future. Defining Counterterrorism Counterterrorism is a difficult concept to define, especially in the context of western democracies. Paul Wilkinson writes that, â€Å"There is no universally applicable counter-terrorism policy for democracies. Every conflict involving terrorism has its own unique characteristics†. Both Paul Wilkinson and Louise Richardson and many others argue that, Western democracies must have respect for the rule of law and civil liberties should be followed in maintaining their counterterrorism strategies. Counterterrorism operations are subject to continuous change according to the nature of the threat (Rineheart, 2010). Counterterrorism as defined by the U.S. Army Field Manual stands as â€Å"Operations that include the offensive measures taken to prevent, deter, preempt, and respond to terrorism† (Rineheart, 2010). This definition of counterterrorism is more concrete but has its own weaknesses and strengths. Though it correctly explains that counterterrorism is an all-inclusive doctrine including prevention, preemption, deterrence, and responses which would require bringing all aspects of the nation’s power to be exposed both domestically and internationally, yet essentially it differentiates nothing. If an effective counterterrorism doctrine is meant to follow the principle that ‘whatever is needed, whenever we need it,’ then this could create problems with developing effective counter strategies, allocating resources, and determining accountability – it might make the concept o f counterterrorism rather worthless. There are advantages to an all-encompassing approach to counterterrorism. It allows the governments to recognize the complexities of responding to terrorism; it also provides a rhetorical tool that reinforces the notion that there is no simple fix to a nation’s terrorism problem (Rineheart, 2010). International Counter-Terrorism Policy of Japan There are a number of dimensions to the counter-terrorism strategy of Japan. The government’s paramount responsibility is to guard the security of Japan’s territory and citizens against terrorist acts (Hideaki, 2003, p. 55). The basic policy of Japan to counter terrorist activities is by strengthening the national counter terrorism measures. International cooperation and capacity building assistance to countries in need is also enumerated in the list of counter terrorism activities for Japan. The Japanese government in December 2004 adopted the "Action Plan for Prevention of Terrorism" which included taking16 ‘Urgently Needed Terrorism Prevention Measures’. In lieu of this certain urgent measures were taken. Japan has actively committed to the negotiations on relevant treaties in the UN and other international bodies. It has ratified and implemented all of the 13 international counter-terrorism conventions and protocols, most recently, the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism in August 3, 2007. Japan has also been participating in the ongoing negotiations of the Comprehensive