Japanese patrol aircraft on antipiracy mission arrive in Djibouti+

DJIBOUTI, May 31 Kyodo -
Two Maritime Self-Defense Force P-3C aircraft on an antipiracy mission landed
Sunday at an airport in Djibouti, where they will be based during their first
overseas mission.

Following some training, the aircraft will start patrolling from mid-June in
the Gulf of Aden off Somalia and convey relevant information to the MSDF
destroyers that have been patrolling there since March as well as
Japanese-related vessels and other navy vessels in the area.
The dispatch of the P-3Cs will complete Japan's antipiracy scheme to patrol
from both sea and air, according to the Self-Defense Forces.
The air patrol operations involve about 100 MSDF personnel, including the
P-3C's crew and engineers and about 50 Ground Self-Defense Force members who
guard the aircraft at the airport.
Japan sent some 40 members as an advance team on May 18 and dispatched the
aircraft with 36 members on Thursday. Other members have already arrived at
Djibouti on chartered aircraft.
Helicopters from two Japanese destroyers are currently patrolling the gulf, but
the MSDF decided to send the P-3Cs, given their greater flying range and longer
flight time.
Over 120 pirate incidents have occurred in waters off the coast of Somalia this
year, and more than 20 countries have sent their navies to the region to
counter the increase.
==Kyodo