Last month Japan's parliament moved to enact a revision to the country's Self-Defence Forces Law that will authorise Japanese warships to protect all commercial vessels from pirate attacks. The law takes effect on 24 July.rnThe Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force dispatched two destroyers to the Gulf of Aden in March to assist in international efforts to protect commercial shipping; however, until now their rules of engagement have meant that they have only been permitted to assist Japanese owned, crewed or registered vessels within very strictly limited rules of engagement.
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