Japanese warships will be allowed to protect merchant ships

Japanese authorities intend to allow warships to open fire to protect merchant ships in the Middle East, the newspaper Yomiuri reports. It is reported that this decision is connected with a patrol mission, for which Japan sent its ships to the Gulf of Oman. At the same time, warships can open fire only if merchant ships escorted by the destroyer were attacked. If the merchant ship was alone in the threat of attack, it will be forbidden to open fire. Recall that Japan in early 2020 sent a destroyer Takanami and two R-3S Orion aircraft to the Middle East. These ships take part in patrolling the Gulf of Oman.