Japanese Self-Defense Forces’ Base in Djibouti Becoming Increasingly Important for Situations Occurring in Middle East, Africa

By Takanori Nakada / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

20:00 JST, August 21, 2025

The Self-Defense Forces’ activity base in Djibouti in eastern Africa has become increasingly important because SDF units stationed there are responsible for transporting Japanese nationals from the Middle East and African regions, which tend to be instable in the event of an emergency, and undertaking Japan’s efforts in international patrols against pirates.

The base is also a key site for Japan to face off against China, which has been increasing its presence in those regions while Tokyo is eager to strengthen ties with African nations including Djibouti at the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9), which is held in Yokohama through Friday.

After visiting the base on Monday, Defense Minister Gen Nakatani told reporters, “The importance of the base is increasing overall.”

In 2009, the SDF began joining the international patrols against pirates in the Gulf of Aden off Somalia and in 2011 established the base in Djibouti as the SDF’s only activity base overseas.

The SDF has used to base for destroyer and P-3C patrol plane operations, and about 400 SDF personnel work there.

In December 2023, the base was given an additional mission of preparing for protecting and transporting Japanese nationals.

The SDF have been contributing to the anti-piracy activities with other participating countries for about 16 years. As those efforts have been effective, the number of attacks on ships by pirates has fallen from 237 in 2011 to under 10 in recent years.

The Ground Self-Defense Force’s Col. Fumihito Tanaka, who is the top officer at the base and commander of the SDF’s Deployment Support-Group for Counter Piracy Enforcement in Djibouti, told The Yomiuri Shimbun, “This base contributes to Japan’s economic activities as the nation relies on maritime transportation for many resources.”

Regarding the transportation of Japanese nationals, SDF units at the base have accumulated achievements. For example, when Japanese nationals evacuated from Sudan in 2023, the SDF units transported 45 people to Djibouti.

Tanaka, 42, said, “Operating this base in a stable way has contributed to quick protection and transportation of Japanese nationals.”

On the other hand, poverty in Somalia, which is the underlying cause of pirates’ activities, has not been resolved.

In the wake of a dangerous situation occurring in Iran since June, the SDF had C-2 transport planes dispatched from Japan stand by in Djibouti for the evacuation of Japanese nationals. As evidenced by this case, tensions in the regions have continued.

“Also from now on, we need to make utmost efforts to prepare for piracy incidents and emergency transportation of Japanese nationals,” Tanaka said with great focus.

Japan is hosting TICAD 9 in Yokohama from Wednesday.

Umio Otsuka, 65, a former Japanese ambassador to Djibouti, said, “While Japan is shifting the important point of its policy toward Africa from development aid to investments, it is becoming increasingly important to secure safety, which is the major premise for economic activities by Japanese nationals and companies.”

Otsuka is a former officer of the Maritime Self-Defense Force and now serves as chief priest of Yasukuni Shrine.

Djibouti is a hub of maritime transportation connecting Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Europe, and thus it is a strategic place from a geopolitical perspective.

Major countries including the United States, France, Italy and Spain have activity bases there, and China, which is deploying military forces to faraway places, established a base in Djibouti in 2017.

Continuing to maintain the SDF base in Djibouti will make it smoother to share information with concerned Western countries as well as follow the moves of the Chinese military.

“By showing cooperation between Japan and Western countries there toward China, it can result in sending quiet messages of deterrence to China,” Otsuka said.