The Japanese Cabinet approved Friday the dispatch of Maritime Self-Defense Force personnel to the Middle East for information-gathering activities to help ensure the safety of a key oil shipping lane.Japan's contribution to peace in the Mideast comes as tensions remain high between the United States and Iran over a 2015 nuclear deal, with Washington blaming Tehran for a series of attacks on oil tankers.Japan has decided not to join a U.S.-led coalition guarding ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz so as to avoid hurting its friendly ties with Iran. The United States pulled out of the …READ FULL ARTICLE
