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2009 March 11 - 17 [SDF]

SDF vessels have prepared for possible casualties in anti-piracy mission

Akahata has learned that the Maritime Self-Defense Force ships heading for anti-piracy mission in waters off Somalia have morgue in them for the first time.

The MSDF destroyers “Sazanami” and “Samidare” left Japan for Somalia on March 14.

According to persons involved, each morgue has a space for three bodies at a time. They were originally intended to place bodies of pirates who died during battles, but could also be for SDF personnel. “Such a possibility should be never mentioned in front of them,” they said.

One SDF member said, “Before going to the Indian Ocean for the refueling operation, we were told to recognize the mission as going to war. But this time, SDF officials see the possibility of engaging in battles.”

Participation in combat amounts to the use of force abroad, thus violates the Constitution.

A Defense Ministry official answered that it cannot provide specific information on specific SDF vessels.