The Self-Defense Forces emergency disaster relief mission in hurricane-torn Honduras will end Tuesday, the Defense Agency said Friday.
Japan sent 80 Ground Self-Defense Force and 105 Air Self-Defense Force members to the Central American nation in mid-November to help provide medical services, prevent epidemics, and transport medical and other supplies. The GSDF contingent will return to Japan Dec. 5 and the ASDF troops will come home Dec. 9, the agency said.
The is the first SDF overseas dispatch under a legislative change in 1992 that cleared the way for Japanese relief workers, including SDF troops, police and firefighters, to join in disaster relief activities in other countries.
The two-week mission came in response to a request from Honduras, which was devastated by Hurricane Mitch.
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