TOKYO, June 5 (UPI) -- A top Japanese military official says his country is willing to use its navy to fight pirates, the Kyodo news agency reported Saturday.
The remarks by Shigeru Ishiba, Japan's defense agency director, were delivered by an aide at a Singapore conference on terrorism.
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"It is important for navies and coast guards of Asian countries to cooperate in tackling (pirate activities), and Japan is ready to meet its responsibilities in this region," Ishiba's statement said.
Although international law guarantees Japan's right to come to the military aid of an ally, the Japanese government interprets Japan's pacifist constitution to mean that the country cannot actually exercise that right.
