Friday, June 6, 2014
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The Japanese government plans to extend the Maritime Self-Defense Force's anti piracy mission off Somalia by another year, Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said Friday."It is necessary to closely coordinate with the forces of other countries and the international community" to combat piracy in the area, Onodera said during a parliamentary committee session, referring to the mission which is due to end next month.
The antipiracy mission off Somalia began in 2009 and the Cabinet approves the activities yearly. MSDF escort vessels and P-3C patrol planes are dispatched to protect commercial shipping.
"The number of piracy incidents has decreased but there is a risk they could intensify if forces from various countries do not continue" their operations, Onodera told a lower house special committee on antipiracy measures.
Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida told the same Diet committee session that Japan plans to provide "adequate support" to help improve Somalia's economy because piracy cannot be contained if poverty in the African country is not alleviated.
==Kyodo