The government plans to station an intelligence officer at the Self-Defense Forces base in Djibouti to deal with antipiracy operations and gather information on terrorist activities and other security matters, a source familiar with Japan-U.S. relations said Saturday.

Arrangements are under way for the officer to work in coordination with U.S. military intelligence, the source said.

The move is intended as a long-term measure to secure the base by augmenting its antipiracy mission with other roles in the hopes it will lead to a greater Japanese presence in U.N. peacekeeping operations in the Middle East and Africa, the source added.