Japan Approves Ship Dispatch for Middle East Intel Gathering
- Ship will operate separately from U.S.-led coalition in region
- Two surveillance planes will switch from anti-piracy mission
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Japan’s cabinet on Friday approved the dispatch of a Self-Defense Forces ship to waters close to a Middle Eastern flash point on an intelligence-gathering mission, which would be separate from U.S.-led operations in the area.
The naval vessel will carry about 200 personnel and one or two helicopters, according to documents distributed to reporters by the government, which didn’t say where the ship will be based. The intelligence-gathering unit will also include two planes currently deployed on an anti-piracy mission based out of Djibouti.