TOKYO, Dec. 22 (UPI) -- Japan is considering exporting decommissioned ships to Southeast Asia to be used against terrorism or piracy, in an exception to its ban on arms exports.
The government will decide in January whether or not to offer the ships to Singapore and Malaysia, two countries that have requested Japan to relax its rules, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported Wednesday.
Under consideration are 1,000- to 2,000-ton destroyers used by the Maritime Self-Defense Force to patrol the coast, as well as Japan Coast Guard patrol vessels.
Heavy armaments, such as cannons, that are not essential in fighting pirates will be removed, the government said. Once the decision is confirmed, the government will explain its change of policy to Singapore and Malaysia and begin negotiations.
Rules against arms exports were first introduced in 1967 to control weapons shipments to communist nations. In 1976 the administration banned all arms exports, including ships equipped with cannons or guns.
The Cabinet endorsed a new national defense policy Dec. 10, exempting exports related to Japanese-U.S. joint development of a ballistic missile defense system. It also agreed to consider exporting decommissioned ships on a case-by-case basis to support the fight against terrorism and piracy.
