Japan Extends Somalia Counter Piracy Mission

Two Japanese destroyers and two maritime patrol aircraft will continue their anti-piracy mission into 2017. Last week, Japanese Defence Minister, Gen Nakatani announced that the Japanese government has extended Japan’s participation in a multinational counter-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden and off the coast of Somalia by another year in to 2017.

“This morning, a meeting of the National Security Council and a cabinet meeting were held, and it was decided that the counter-piracy operations in the seas off Somalia in the Gulf of Aden will be extended for one year,” Nakatani said during a press conference at the defence ministry this week.