Algerian Ambassador to Japan Mohamed El Amine Bencherif on Tuesday welcomed Japan's assistance in Africa, saying its participation in the United Nations' South Sudan peacekeeping mission is essential to restoring stability in the strife-torn region.
"Japan is a great actor in humanitarian assistance" and through its presence "contributes to preservation of peace and stability in Africa," Bencherif said during a courtesy visit to The Japan Times.
Japan last year passed new security laws that enable the Self-Defense Forces to protect other countries' troops using armed force if necessary.