Pre-reading questions:
- What do you know about MSDF?
- Do you think it’s important for every country to have peace?
- What can you say about Japan’s military bond with United States?
Vocabulary:
- destroyer – (military terms) warship
Japan has a long list of military destroyers. - Peninsula – an area of land almost completely surrounded by water except the narrow strip of land connecting it with the mainland.
Boso Peninsula can be found in Chiba Prefecture. - defense – protection against attack
Japan’s current Defense Minister is Tomomi Inada. - escort – a group of persons,or a single person accompanying another or others for protection
Japan and US are on an escort mission. - cooperation – an act or instance of working together for a common gal or benefit
Japan’s MDSF is in cooperation with the US military.
A Japanese destroyer joined a U.S. military supply ship off to Boso Peninsula on Monday afternoon to guard it in such operation. This is under Japan’s security-related laws and as was ordered by Defense Minister Tomomi Inada . The Maritime Self-Defense Force’s helicopter destroyer Izumo and the U.S. vessel are scheduled to sail to areas of Shikoku region.
This escort operation which came into force in March last year, is intended to show the strong security bond between Japan and U.S. The mission was made possible as the law includes SDF’s protection during peacetime or in “gray zones” situations. This does not involve an armed attack to include equipment of U.S. and other military forces that are bound to defend Japan in cooperation with the SDF. The U.S. supply ship will provide fuel to groups assigned to check any possible missile launched by North Korea.
Comprehension Questions:
- What is the name of the helicopter destroyer?
- How was the escort mission made possible?
- Why is there an escort operation between Japan and U.S.?
- When did the escort operation come into force?
- How is U.S. supply ship protected?
Express Your Opinion:
- Do you think it is right for Japan to escort U.S. supply vessel? Why or why not?
- What do you think is the effect of this joint force to your Maritime defense? Please explain your answer.
- How important is it for people of Japan to have the Maritime Self-Defense Force?
- Do you agree with the peacetime or the “gray zone” situations?
- Do you think it is fair for Japan to continue the security bond with U.S.?