First National Working Group meeting in Japan

At the National Defence Academy (NDA) in Yokosuka, Japan, the first Japanese National Working Group (NWG) meeting took place on 11 October 2019. Attended by military, academic, think tank and DCAF representatives, 14 participants discussed the status of security sector governance in Japan. Topics covered the legal status of maritime militia, defense engagements, diversity and family support in the Japanese Self-Defence Forces as well as gender mainstreaming, and the status of police accountability and the police's role in the criminal justice system.

The session led to a better shared understanding of the basic concepts of SSG, and a beginning of discussions on relevant SSR topics within Japan, as well as the ways in which Japan can support SSR across the Asia-Pacific region.