TOKYO, July 21 (UPI) -- The Japanese government is considering a move to aid foreign vessels conducting anti-piracy operations off Somalia, diplomatic sources say.
Under the plan, refueling vessels from Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force would be sent to the area to refuel anti-piracy ships, The Yomiuri Shimbun reported Wednesday.
The move comes in response to requests from several nations and is intended to show Japan's willingness to make international contributions, the sources said.
Vessels from some 30 nations patrol the pirate-infested waters off Somalia to protect crucial international shipping lanes.
They are forced to frequently return to port for refueling because of the vast area they patrol.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the European Union, South Korean and India are among those who have requested refueling operations at sea from Japan.
Two of Japan's Maritime Self-Defense destroyers currently escort private commercial ships in the Gulf of Aden between Somalia and Yemen.
