JapanesetroopsarrivedinSouthSudanthisweektojoinaUnitedNationspeacekeepingforce.
ThetroopsarereplacingagroupofJapanesepeacekeeperswhoservedintheU.N.MissioninSouthSudan.
Themainjobforthe350Japanesesoldierswillbetohelpbuildroadsorotherinfrastructureinthecountry.Theyarealsounderorderstouseforceifneeded.TheearlierJapanesepeacekeeperswerenotpermittedtouseforce.
Lastyear,Japan’sgovernmentapprovedlegislationtoexpandthedutiesofitsmilitarymembersdeployedoverseas.Underthemeasure,Japanesetroopscanuseforcetoprotectthemselvesandothercivilians.TheyarepermittedtoactoncallsforhelpfrompeopleworkingforU.N.agenciesoraidgroups.
TherearealsoplanstolettheJapanesetroopsguardU.N.bases.SomebaseshavebeenattackedinSouthSudan’scivilwar.
MilitaryofficialssayalltheJapanesetroopswillbeinthecountrybythemiddleofDecember.ItisthefirsttimethatJapanesepeacekeepingforceswillbepermittedtouseforcewhileondutysinceWorldWarII.
TheviolenceinSouthSudanstartedinDecember2013.TheclashesarebetweenforcessupportingPresidentSalvaKiirandthoseloyaltoformervicepresidentRiekMachar.
Thetwosidesreachedapeacedealin2015.ButfightingrestartedinJulywhenforcesloyaltoMacharlaunchedanattackonthepresidentialpalaceinJuba,thecapital.
Thefightingislargelyhappeningalongethniclines.Tensofthousandsofpeoplehavebeenkilled.ThewarhasdamagedSouthSudan’seconomyandcreatedahumanitariancrisis.Morethan2millionpeoplehavebeendisplaced,andnearly5millionarebelievedtobelackingnecessaryfood.
Therearemorethan12,000U.N.peacekeepersinSouthSudan.TheU.N.missiontherehasfacedcriticismforfailingtoprotectcivilians.InJuly,twoChinesepeacekeepersdiedandfiveotherswerewoundedaftertheirvehiclewasattackedinJuba.
CriticsofJapan’sdeploymentsaythemoveviolatesthecountry'santi-warconstitution.SomefearthenewpowerspermittingtroopstouseforcecouldbringJapan’smilitaryintooverseasconflicts.
ButJapanesePrimeMinisterShinzoAbehasarguedthatthebroadermandategivesJapantheabilitytorespondtogrowingregionalthreats.
AbespokeaboutthenewdutiesofJapanesetroopsduringanappearancewithaparliamentarycommitteeearlierthisyear.“SouthSudancannotassureitspeaceandstabilityonitsownandforthatveryreason,aU.N.peacekeepingoperationisbeingconducted,”hesaid.
AbeaddedthattheJapaneseforceswillbe“carryingoutactivitiesthatonlyitcandoinatoughenvironment.”
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