With Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada's orders to prepare the Maritime Self-Defense Force for dispatch Wednesday, the government has officially given the green light to an antipiracy mission around the Horn of Africa.
The Defense Ministry will now collaborate with the Japan Coast Guard and the transport ministry to map out how to handle the assignment, which will be based on a maritime police-action provision.
The ministry is reportedly considering sending two destroyers with helicopters to escort in groups Japanese vessels traveling through the area.