Japan's PKO unit in S.Sudan set to face new duties

 

The Japanese Defense Ministry will consider whether to give new duties to the country's UN peacekeeping unit in South Sudan.

A set of national security bills cleared the Diet on Saturday. Ministry officials plan to draw up new rules on the activities of the Self-Defense Forces based on the new legislation.

Regulations will be made for each type of duty, and will specify where it can be performed. The rules will also cover which type of weapons can be carried and how they can be used.

Officials will study the possibility of SDF members in South Sudan using weapons to assist troops from other countries facing attacks, or to jointly guard the camps of peacekeeping units.

The unit now deployed in South Sudan is scheduled to be replaced in December. The ministry is considering beginning the training on new duties with the replacement unit.