The government decided Monday to supply ammunition to U.N. peacekeepers in South Sudan, paving the way for Japan to provide such supplies to foreign or U.N. military forces for the first time.
Japan will provide 10,000 bullets without charge, most likely to South Korean troops taking part in the U.N. peacekeeping operation in the fledgling African country.
Citing the urgency of the situation there and humanitarian needs, Japan has decided to make an exception to its arms embargo, which is based on the so-called three principles governing weapons exports, the officials said.