GSDF Officers Share PKO Experiences at Osaka Expo

Osaka, Oct. 6 (Jiji Press)–Two officers from Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force who served with the U.N. Mission in South Sudan, or UNMISS, spoke about their peacekeeping experiences in a talk event at the U.N. pavilion of the 2025 World Exposition in the western Japan city of Osaka. During the event, held on Saturday, the GSDF officials, who recently returned from their assignments at the headquarters of UNMISS, showed photos and videos from South Sudan as they explained about their activities in maintaining security and providing humanitarian aid there. “Japan’s active participation in UNMISS under the banner of pacifism is very meaningful in terms of international cooperation and engagement,” said GSDF Lt. Col. Takashi Kobayashi, former deputy chief of staff of UNMISS. GSDF Capt. Momoko Minagawa, who was involved in road maintenance projects in South Sudan, said, “It was great that we were able to work together with people from various countries to create peace and make the locals happy.” UNMISS is the only U.N. peacekeeping operation in which Japan is currently involved. Since South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011, Japan has consistently dispatched Self-Defense Forces personnel. Although Japan’s troop deployment for UNMISS ended in 2017, four SDF personnel continue to serve at the mission’s headquarters. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]