U.S. urges Japan to protect others from pirates

[unhappycamper]

U.S. urges Japan to protect others from pirates
The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday Feb 17, 2009 21:19:44 EST

TOKYO, Feb. 17 (Kyodo) — U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged Tokyo on Tuesday to consider giving protection to ships unrelated to Japan in its planned antipiracy operations off Somalia.

Clinton said the activities Japan would be expected to perform from now in connection with piracy would be ”critical” ones in areas where risks are higher, a Defense Ministry official said.

Washington’s top diplomat expressed the view to Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada during their first meeting in Tokyo on the second day of her three-day visit to Japan.

Hamada was quoted as telling her, “Naturally, I’m aware of the matter. Keeping that in mind, we’re considering a new law” that would authorize the destroyers to protect any ships regardless of their Japanese connections.

Earlier in the meeting, Clinton described Japan’s planned dispatch of destroyers to the Gulf of Aden off Somalia as one of several cases in which Tokyo has played important roles.


Rest of article at: http://navytimes.com/news/2009/02/ap_cinton_piracy_021709/%2e