Japan's antipiracy mission uncertain as ruling bloc remains divided

Thursday 08th January, 05:16 AM JST

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OssanAmerica at 11:37 AM JST - 8th January

Hamada has pointed out that MSDF ships cannot protect foreign ships even >if they are dispatched, because maritime policing is only aimed at >protecting Japanese lives and assets—namely, Japanese-registered ships >or others with Japanese crew on board.

Assinine. There are countless flag of convenience ships plying the oceans flying foreign flags but owned and controlled by Japanese. Then there are those foreign ships under chartered employment to Japanese companies. The coalition action in Somalia is under a UN mandate. By Hamada's reasoning the previous multiple SDF deployments overseas could not have done anything period. How could the GSDF have conducted de-mining operations in Cambodia? Were they permitted to only protect Japanese nationals?
mushroomcloud at 02:44 AM JST - 9th January

It is really a question of national honor for Japan at this point, due to the UNSC mandate. Japan needs to decide whether it has the courage to send it's warships to protect her own shipping as well as others, or, remain complacent and have the US, UK, China, France, Germany, Iran, Malaysia, and Russia protect 'Japanese lives and assets'.