Japanese government authorises armed guards on its ships off Somalia
THE Japanese parliament, the Diet, has revoked its domestic firearms and swords control law on Japanese-flagged cargo ships to allow private armed guards in international waters to fire warning shots.
The new anti-piracy law is intended to safeguard Japanese vessels in pirate infested waters in Gulf of Aden off Somalia, the Arabian Sea and the Red Sea from December 1.
Japan relies heavily on crude oil imports, 80 per cent of which comes from the Middle East.
Shipping lines must gain government approval from Japan's transport minister for security plans and detail the security companies hired on each vessel's voyage.