Two Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyers, each carrying two patrol helicopters and two speed boats, are steaming to the Gulf of Aden on an antipiracy mission off Somalia. The government has evoked Article 82 of the Self-Defense Forces Law, which allows the SDF to take "maritime police actions" in situations that exceed the capabilities of the Japan Coast Guard.
Since the dispatch is on an interim basis, the Cabinet has also sent to the Diet a bill to allow the SDF to protect not only Japanese ships but also foreign ships against pirates anywhere in the world and to loosen the restrictions on the use of weapons.
Coping with piracy is primarily the duty of the coast guard. (Eight coast guard officers are aboard the two destroyers to handle judicial matters). In addition, Article 82 of the SDF Law originally envisaged use of the SDF only around Japan.