Operation Pacific Assist is the Australian Defence Force (ADF) component of a joint effort between the ADF and Emergency Management Australia (EMA). Their mission is to provide an Emergency Services Task Force in the wake of the of the earthquake in Japan and the subsequent devastating tsunami.
NSW Police, Fire and Ambulance services; ACT fire fighters; and, search and rescue dog handlers from Queensland have come together to create the Task Force.
The ADF provided strategic air lift of the Task Force to Yokota Airbase, Japan by Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) C-17A Globemaster. The Task Force arrived in the early hours of Monday 14 March.
The efforts of the Task Force over the coming days will be focused on Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) and emergency medical support in the vicinity of Minami Sanriku, Miyagi prefecture, about 200 kilometres north-east of Tokyo.
The RAAF C-17A Globemaster and aircrew remain in Japan to assist the Japanese authorities with heavy airlift capability as part of the international disaster relief effort.
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Operation PACIFIC ASSIST- Extension of ADF relief efforts in Japan
Today, at the request of Japan and the United States, I have approved a week's extension of the Australian Defence Force’s support to relief efforts in Japan under Operation PACIFIC ASSIST.
ADF personnel and their Royal Australian Air Force C-17A Globemaster have been providing much needed airlift support to Japan and the requested extension of their mission highlights the highly valued work they have been performing in difficult circumstances.
The extension underlines Australia’s continuing commitment to the humanitarian assistance and disaster relief response in Japan and our close bilateral relationship.
Australia’s support to Japan at this critical time is an important reaffirmation of the comprehensive Australia-Japan strategic, security and economic partnership.
Our C-17A has been working closely with the United States Forces Japan Air Operations Command. This has highlighted the growing strength and capability of our trilateral relationship. It is a practical demonstration of Australia-Japan-United States trilateral strategic cooperation and the benefit this can provide to the region in responding to an emergency situation of this size.
Australia and the United States are the only two countries providing C-17A military airlift assistance internally within Japan in support of the crisis response.
Australia is entitled to be proud of the high praise our small team of Australian Defence Force personnel currently working in Japan are receiving.
The Chief of Defence Force and I will continue to review the Operation PACIFIC ASSIST commitment in close consultation with our Japanese and US partners.