Japan defense chief has "no plan" to dispatch SDF to Middle East

Japanese Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya said Tuesday he has "no plan" to send the Self-Defense Forces to the Middle East to join a military coalition envisioned by the United States to safeguard commercial shipping from Iranian threats in the region.The U.S. plan follows attacks on two oil tankers near the Strait of Hormuz last month, with one of them operated by a Japanese shipping firm. Iwaya said there have been no more similar attacks and that threats against Japan in the area are deemed to be "in a temporary lull at present."Due to restrictions by its pacifist Constitution, the hurdle …READ FULL ARTICLE