ID :
46945
Sun, 02/22/2009 - 19:24
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/46945
The shortlink copeid
Gov't eyes limited protection for foreign ships from pirates+
TOKYO, Feb. 22 Kyodo - The government plans to allow Japanese destroyers to protect non-Japanese ships from pirates in waters off Somalia and elsewhere only if they are traveling at close proximity, a move that will ease current rules limiting Japan's maritime
activities off the horn of Africa to protect Japanese-linked vessels,
government sources said Saturday.
But a bill for a new antipiracy law will not require Maritime Self-Defense
Force destroyers to protect foreign vessels if they are attacked by pirates in
distant waters, the sources said.
The bill envisions limiting the use of MSDF destroyers to situations such as a
foreign ship joining a group of Japanese-linked vessels escorted by the
maritime force and an MSDF destroyer encountering a non-Japanese ship being
attacked by pirates, according to the sources.
The move suggests the government will not significantly ease restrictions on
the MSDF's use of force in antipiracy operations under the Self-Defense Forces
Law.
The bill will be submitted to the Diet after the Cabinet of Prime Minister Taro
Aso approves it in early March.
Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada plans to issue an order around March 10 for
Japanese destroyers to be dispatched to waters off Somalia for an antipiracy
mission, under the pretext of maritime policing in the absence of an antipiracy
law.
The Defense Ministry has studied a new antipiracy bill to ease restrictions on
Japan's maritime patrol activities, such as that MSDF vessels cannot protect
foreign ships if they have no Japanese nationals or shipments on board, in
accordance with a law governing police conduct.
Among other restrictions are that weapons can only be used in circumstances
such as for self-defense and emergency evacuations.
However, the ministry found it difficult to include major changes in the bill
from current rules, given the Cabinet Legislation Bureau's careful stance on
the use of weapons abroad in light of Japan's war-renouncing Constitution.
Countries such as the United States, Britain, France, Germany, China and India
have dispatched destroyers off Somalia to escort commercial ships and extend
maritime patrols and other police activities.
About one-third of piracy incidents take place in waters near Somalia. A total
of 111 piracy cases off the horn of Africa were reported last year, according
to the Japanese Foreign Ministry.
==Kyodo
2009-02-22 19:08:09
activities off the horn of Africa to protect Japanese-linked vessels,
government sources said Saturday.
But a bill for a new antipiracy law will not require Maritime Self-Defense
Force destroyers to protect foreign vessels if they are attacked by pirates in
distant waters, the sources said.
The bill envisions limiting the use of MSDF destroyers to situations such as a
foreign ship joining a group of Japanese-linked vessels escorted by the
maritime force and an MSDF destroyer encountering a non-Japanese ship being
attacked by pirates, according to the sources.
The move suggests the government will not significantly ease restrictions on
the MSDF's use of force in antipiracy operations under the Self-Defense Forces
Law.
The bill will be submitted to the Diet after the Cabinet of Prime Minister Taro
Aso approves it in early March.
Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada plans to issue an order around March 10 for
Japanese destroyers to be dispatched to waters off Somalia for an antipiracy
mission, under the pretext of maritime policing in the absence of an antipiracy
law.
The Defense Ministry has studied a new antipiracy bill to ease restrictions on
Japan's maritime patrol activities, such as that MSDF vessels cannot protect
foreign ships if they have no Japanese nationals or shipments on board, in
accordance with a law governing police conduct.
Among other restrictions are that weapons can only be used in circumstances
such as for self-defense and emergency evacuations.
However, the ministry found it difficult to include major changes in the bill
from current rules, given the Cabinet Legislation Bureau's careful stance on
the use of weapons abroad in light of Japan's war-renouncing Constitution.
Countries such as the United States, Britain, France, Germany, China and India
have dispatched destroyers off Somalia to escort commercial ships and extend
maritime patrols and other police activities.
About one-third of piracy incidents take place in waters near Somalia. A total
of 111 piracy cases off the horn of Africa were reported last year, according
to the Japanese Foreign Ministry.
==Kyodo
2009-02-22 19:08:09
