TOKYO - The Japanese government on Friday approved sending a senior Ground Self-Defense Force officer to serve as chief of staff of the military component of a U.N. peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, the highest-ranking post ever held by a Japanese deployed to U.N. peacekeeping operations.
The officer will assume the post on May 11 at the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, or UNMISS. The appointee is a colonel with experience in peacekeeping in the Golan Heights in the Middle East and has led the GSDF counterterrorism unit, according to a source familiar with the matter.
The chief of staff oversees planning, personnel affairs, operations and logistics under the direction of the U.N. secretary general. The position is typically held for one year, extendable for up to three years.
"Having a Self-Defense Force officer serve in such a crucial senior position is highly meaningful for Japan, enabling us to play a leading role in international peace efforts while also helping to build a security environment favorable to the country," Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said at a press conference.
Japan applied for the position last year following a U.N. call for candidates and was notified of the officer's selection in March after a screening process.
The South Sudan mission is currently Japan's only U.N. peacekeeping deployment, with four GSDF personnel assigned to headquarters duties.
Japan's security laws enacted in 2015 paved the way for the SDF to contribute more to global peacekeeping efforts.
Following its independence in 2011 and the signing of a peace agreement in 2018 to end a civil war, South Sudan has been struggling to ensure stability.
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