Despite the tension between Washington and Tehran, Japan will keep dispatching its SDF to the Middle East to guard its shipment. (Image via The Japan Times)

Abe remains confident to dispatch SDF to the Middle East

Amid the rising tension between its Western and Middle East allies, Japan remains adamant to dispatch its Self-Defense Forces (SDF) personnel to the Middle East, to guard its commercial shipments and intelligence-gathering activities.

The tension in the Middle East rose even higher when the U.S airstrike killed one of the Iranian top military commanders, Qassem Soleimani. The Iranian commander was slain in a drone strike on his convoy at Baghdad airport.

During a news conference on Monday, the Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe, urged the countries to help ease the tension in the Middle East and avoid further escalation. Telling the reporters, Abe, who had just finished his visitation to Ise Shrine in New Year’s celebration, stated his deep concern for the Middle East.

In the conference, Abe also repeated Japan’s plan to dispatch its SDF to guard Japan-related shipment and strengthen intelligence gathering. Since December 2019, the Japanese government revealed that it will send warships and patrol planes to the Middle East.

Maintaining the bilateral ties with its two polar allies, Japan decided not to join the U.S-led coalition but send its own SDF for Japan’s own agenda. Abe aims to start the patrol planes operation in January, the destroyer warships will begin in February.

Source: https://bit.ly/2FrH7RH