TOKYO (AFP)--Japan said Thursday it was considering dispatching a destroyer to waters off Somalia to guard against pirates who are inflicting a costly toll on the shipping industry.
A growing number of nations are sending navy ships to fight pirates near the lawless East African country, with Japan's neighbor and sometime rival China set to dispatch three vessels on Friday.
"Japan has to deal quickly with this issue," Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura, the government spokesman, told a news conference.
But Japan has legal problems with sending warships because of its pacifist post-World War II constitution. Under domestic laws, the navy can only protect ships flying the Japanese flag or carrying Japanese nationals.
"Are the current laws appropriate for a mission like this?" Kawamura said.
"The laws stipulate that, as a general rule, Japanese (military) ships can operate within our territorial waters. But is that OK when we are discussing cooperation with the international community?" he said.
Kawamura said ruling bloc lawmakers will study changes in legislation.
The Mainichi Shimbun, quoting unnamed sources, said Prime Minister Taro Aso may announce a decision on an operation by the end of the year.
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