Defense Agency chief Gen Nakatani said Thursday that Japan may deploy a Self-Defense Forces contingent in East Timor, should fresh peacekeeping operations be needed after its independence is officially recognized, Japanese officials said.
"We must give it serious thought. We would like to consider such a possibility when the specifics of the needs and scale become clear," Nakatani was quoted as telling Louise Frechette, deputy secretary general of the U.N., during talks at the U.N. headquarters in New York.
At a news conference following the talks, Nakatani suggested that he will visit East Timor to explore the possibility of deployment.
Nakatani stressed that the move applies to fresh peacekeeping operations and not to the current peacekeeping effort under way in East Timor. He indicated Japan would engage in deployment of this kind in January or afterward.