Japanese sources said on the 19th the government has decided to extend the Maritime Self-Defense Force’s deployment in Middle East waters for anti-piracy and intelligence-gathering missions by one year to next November, citing sustained regional tens

2026-10-19

Japanese sources said on the 19th the government has decided to extend the Maritime Self-Defense Force’s deployment in Middle East waters for anti-piracy and intelligence-gathering missions by one year to next November, citing sustained regional tensions. The government plans a cabinet meeting soon to formalize the decision.