Japan Orders Patrol Plane Dispatch for Antipiracy Mission

Tokyo, May 15 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu
Hamada on Friday ordered the dispatch of two P-3C patrol aircraft of the
Maritime Self-Defense Force to support two MSDF destroyers engaged in an
antipiracy mission off Somalia.
Based on the order, Japan will send an advance team early next week
and the main unit later this month, Defense Ministry officials said. Some
150 troops are set to take part.
The two patrol aircraft will use an international airport in
Djibouti, a neighboring country of Somalia, as the base of their patrol
operations that are slated to begin in June.
Ground SDF troops will also be dispatched to guard the planes at
the airport.
The two MSDF destroyers are now in waters off Somalia to guard
ships related to Japan from pirates under the Self-Defense Forces Law.