Across the World: Japan

Anti-piracy bill

Japanese lawmakers held the first meeting on Friday to begin drafting a bill specifically for the dispatch of Maritime Self-Defense Force ships abroad on anti-piracy missions, seeking wider global influence of Japan's military.

The project team of ruling parties is expected to reach a conclusion by around mid-March so that the government can submit the bill during the current parliamentary session, scheduled to run through early June, Kyodo News said.