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| Africa Horn |
| Tokyo prepares to fight Somali pirates |
| 2009-01-29 |
| Japan has ordered its navy to prepare for a mission to guard against pirates off the coast of Somalia and plans to draw up legislation in the next two months to clear the way for its warships legally to combat modern-day buccaneers. Tokyo's belated decision to join the more than a dozen nations that have already deployed naval vessels to the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean highlights the sensitivity surrounding the use of military forces by a nation that has been officially pacifist since its defeat in the second world war. The decision follows months of debate. Many politicians in the ruling Liberal Democratic party have long sought to allow a wider role for the military - officially known as its self-defence forces since the postwar constitution renounced the maintenance of an army, air force or navy - as part of a drive to make the nation a "normal country". However, Tokyo has struggled to navigate the legal waters surrounding despatch of maritime self-defence force vessels, even though a mission against the marauders who have attacked scores of vessels off Somalia over the past year is relatively uncontroversial. The government has concluded that under current legislation, MSDF warships can only act in the defence of Japanese vessels or those carrying Japanese nationals or cargo. Officials say that navies are legally free to take on high seas pirates at any time, but the MSDF does not have the status of a navy and any action must have a separate legal basis. In spite of such problems, Yasukazu Hamada, defence minister, yesterday ordered the MSDF to begin preparations for a mission to the waters near Somalia, saying the threat posed by pirates there required "urgent action". Taro Aso, the prime minister, would also prepare legislation for the Diet by March that would allow the MSDF to protect the ships of other nations from pirate attacks, a spokesman for Mr Aso said yesterday. It is unclear how quickly any new law might be passed by the Diet. The parliament's less powerful upper house is dominated by the opposition Democratic party, which has delayed a number of government bills in recent months. Tokyo had accelerated efforts to establish a legal basis for the mission after China last month sent three naval vessels to waters off Somalia last month, the first such mission by the People's Liberation Army navy. Beijing's relatively prompt action has accentuated fears among Tokyo officials and policymakers that Japan risks being eclipsed by China's growing international influence. |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #6 Meanwhile, back in NOKOR, TOPIX > VARIOUS - NORTH KOREA DECLARES ALL ACCORDS AND TREATIES WITH SOUTH KOREA AS "DEAD" - WARNS THAT SOUTH KOREA IS PUSHING TO THE BRINK OF WAR!?; + NORTH KOREA DEMANDS A NEW SEA BORDER WITH SOUTH KOREA [Land-Sea DMZ = Borders now NULL + VOID] + REPORT: US FACING WAR, ECONOMIC CATASTROPHE WITH NORTH KOREAN COLLAPSE. Perhaps GODZILLA + SCALEY BOYZ [monsters] should turn back from the GULF OF ADEN??? |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2009-01-29 21:35 |
| #5 Jim.. all the world is half away.... |
| Posted by: .5MT 2009-01-29 20:07 |
| #4 As I recall Japan imports almost all of its oil from the ME via this waterway right? Seems a pretty vital interest to me. |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2009-01-29 18:00 |
| #3 Why? They're half the world away (Literaly) and I've heard of no Japanese ships taken. |
| Posted by: Rednek Jim 2009-01-29 16:51 |
| #2 Been waiting for this: Ninjas vs. Pirates! |
| Posted by: DMFD 2009-01-29 16:03 |
| #1 as long as they actually are there to 'fight' and not just 'have a presence' in the area. |
| Posted by: Abu do you love 2009-01-29 00:33 |