Class - Japan Destroyers Set Sail On Anti-piracy Mission

TOKYO, Japan (CNN) -- Two Japanese destroyers set sail Saturday on an antipiracy mission off Somalia, the Japanese defense ministry said, marking the first policing action for the country's Maritime Self-Defense Force.

Pirates are caught on camera off the Somalian coast. Because of restrictions in Japan's constitution, the nation's military is limited to a "self-defense" role. The Japanese Cabinet approved the mission Friday. The MSDF's major overseas missions have focused on background support, such as transport and refueling, Japan's Kyodo news agency said. MSDF members aboard the destroyers may fire warning shots if they encounter

pirates. However, under Japanese law they are not allowed to harm the pirates except in self-defense, Kyodo reported. The Japanese government submitted an anti-piracy bill to the Diet, Japan's parliament, on Friday which would provide the MSDF more latitude against pirates. It would allow the MSDF to fire on boats that close in on commercial ships after repeated warnings, Kyodo reported. The bill would also enable the MSDF to protect any ship, including those without a Japanese connection -- a provision government officials say is needed to fulfill Japan's international obligations, Kyodo said. Japan Coast Guard officers are aboard the destroyers to process judicial matters, including collecting evidence and handling suspects, in the event that the vessels encounter pirates, Kyodo reported. The move comes after Somali pirates released a Japanese-owned vessel that was hijacked in the pirate-infested Gulf of Aden in November, according to a nongovernmental group that monitors piracy. The ship was released last month.

Roughly 400 MSDF personnel and eight coast guard officers are aboard the two destroyers, each of which carry two SH60K patrol helicopters and two speedboats, officials told Kyodo. The 4,650-ton Sazanami and 4,550-ton Samidare destroyers left their base in the southern port city of Kure after a ceremony attended by Prime Minister Taro Aso and Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada, Kyodo reported. Once the destroyers reach the Gulf of Aden in two to three weeks, they will escort vessels linked to Japan, such as Japaneseregistered ships, vessels with Japanese nationals or cargo on board, or ships operated by Japanese shipping firms, Kyodo said. The waters off Somalia have become a pirate hotspot in recent years, with more than 40 vessels hijacked in 2008 alone, according to the International Maritime Bureau. This has prompted a number of countries to send warships to the region in an effort to combat the problem.

set sail off policing to police (third-person singular simple present polices, present participle policing, simple past and past participle policed) 1.

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(transitive) To enforce the law and keep order among (a group). Extra security was hired to police the crowd at the big game. Cabinet A storage closet either separate from, or built into, a wall. A group of advisors to a government or business entity. (politics, often capitalized) In parliamentary and some other systems of government, the group of ministers responsible for creating government policy and for overseeing the departments comprising the executive branch. Background One's social heritage; what one did in the past/previously. The lawyer had a background in computer science. A part of the picture that depicts scenery to the rear or behind the main subject; context. Information relevant to the current situation about past events; history. A less important feature of scenery (as opposed to foreground.)

There was tons of noise in the background. The photographer let us pick a background for the portrait. Warning to warn (third-person singular simple present warns, present participle warning, simple past and past participle warned) (transitive) To make (someone) aware of impending danger etc. We waved a flag to warn the oncoming traffic. 2. (transitive) To caution (someone) against unwise or unacceptable behaviour. He was warned against crossing the railway tracks at night. Don't let me catch you running in the corridor again, I warn you. warning (plural warnings) 1. The action of the verb warn; an instance of warning someone. 2. Something spoken or written that is intended to warn. The boss gave him a warning that he would be fired if he did not desist from his behaviour. 1.

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Latitude (geography) The angular distance north or south from the equator, measured along the meridian of that particular point.

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(geography) An imaginary line (in fact a circle) around the Earth running parallel to the equator. The relative freedom from restrictions.

Handling A touching, controlling, managing, using, take care of, etc., with the hand or hands, or as with the hands. See handle ○ The heavens and your fair handling Have made you master of the field this day Spenser 2. (art) The mode of using the pencil or brush; style of touch - Fairholt 3. A criminal offence, the trade with stolen goods. to handle (third-person singular simple present handles, present participle handling, simple past and past participle handled) 1. (intransitive) To use the hands. ○ They have hands, but they handle not Psalm 115:7 2. To touch; to feel with the hand. ○ Handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh - Luke 24:39 3. To use or hold with the hand. ○ About his altar, handling holy things Milton 4. To manage in using, as a spade or a musket; to wield; often, to manage skillfully. 1.

That fellow handles his bow like a crowkeeper - Shakespeare, King Lear, IV-vi 5. To accustom to the hand; to work upon, or take care of, with the hands. ○ The hardness of the winters forces the breeders to house and handle their colts six months every year - Sir W. Temple 6. To receive and transfer; to have pass through one's hands; hence, to buy and sell; as, a merchant handles a variety of goods, or a large stock 7. To deal with; to make a business of. ○ They that handle the law knew me not Jeremiah, 2:8 8. To treat; to use, well or ill. ○ How wert thou handled being prisoner Shakespeare, Henry VI, Part I, I-iv 9. To manage; to control; to practice skill upon. ○ You shall see how I'll handle her Shakespeare, Measure for Measure, V-i 10.To use or manage in writing or speaking; to treat, as a theme, an argument, or an objection. ○ We will handle what persons are apt to envy others - Bacon ○

Hijacked to hijack (third-person singular simple present hijacks, present participle hijacking, simple past and past participle hijacked)

To forcibly stop and seize control of some vehicle in order to rob it or to reach a destination (especially an airplane, truck or a boat). Personnel Ton

ton" (UK)

Used in countries such as United Kingdom 2,240 1,016 that formerly used the imperial system

short ton, "ton" 2,000 net (US) ton tonne, "metric 2,205 metric ton" ton (US)

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1000 The Tonne is also known as the Metric Ton in areas which use the metric

measurement system, such as the UK. Conveniently, the weight is less than 2% difference to the Long Ton. Hotspot A hot spot is a region of high or special activity within a larger area of low or normal activity 1. 2.

a dangerous place of violent political unrest a lively and entertaining place, such as a nightclub