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The Japanese government is making arrangements to expand the role of a Self-Defence Forces mission in South Sudan where its regional rival China has a large contingent of UN peacekeepers, government officials said.
Under the plan, the SDF personnel dispatched to the African country as part of UN peacekeeping operations as early as next May, would be newly allowed to go to the aid of other countries’ troops or UN staff under attack.
It could become the first case of practical application of Japan’s new security laws, which are expected to be enforced around the end of next March.
The controversial legislation enacted on Saturday, despite strong protests from opposition lawmakers and voters, allows the SDF to use force in defending allies under armed attack and expands the scope of its use of arms in UN peacekeeping operations.

China last November deployed 700 troops to a United Nations peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, where the Chinese-invested oil industry has been caught in the crossfire of a civil war.
SDF personnel operating in UN-led peacekeeping missions had been forbidden from rescuing either peacekeepers from other countries or civilian UN personnel who come under attack in areas other than those in which the SDF members are deployed.
According to the officials, the government plans to decide on new rules of engagement for the SDF by the end of this year to specify circumstances in which use of weapons are permitted.
SDF personnel will then be trained based on the new rules, and a new peacekeeping operation implementation plan for South Sudan including the newly added rescue duties will be approved by the Cabinet, the officials said.
Japan has sent SDF troops to South Sudan since 2012 to help develop infrastructure. The African country became independent from Sudan in 2011 following over two decades of civil war.
Announcement of the plan came as opinion polls showed Japanese public support for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe dropped in the days since his ruling coalition rammed through the legislation.

READ MORE: Japan's security bills: Key questions about its impact on Japanese society
A weekend poll taken by the top-selling, centre-right newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun showed that public support for the Abe government dropped four points to 41 per cent compared with a similar survey taken in mid-August.
Its disapproval rating rose six points to 51 per cent, the Yomiuri said.
A separate poll taken by the liberal Asahi Shimbun showed the government’s approval rating down one point to 35 per cent compared with a survey taken a week ago, while the disapproval rating rose three points to 45 per cent.
And the Nikkei business daily’s poll showed the approval rating fall six points to 40 percent, while disapproval rose seven points to 47 percent.
A majority of those polled voiced disapproval of what they said was the way the government bulldozed the legislation through Diet and complained that Abe had not offered persuasive and detailed arguments to justify the move.
The legislation had sparked angry street protests with tens of thousands taking part, and fuelled anger in China and South Korea.
Kyodo, Agence France-Presse
 
 


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Shinzo Abe

South Sudan mission: New security rules would compel Japanese forces to assist Chinese UN peacekeepers under attack

Protectors? Japanese soldiers take part in a military exercise in California.  The Japanese government wants to expand the role of its Self-Defence Forces mission in South Sudan where China has UN peacekeepers. Photo: AFP

Chinese peacekeepers parade ahead of their deployment to South Sudan in November, 2014.  Photo: Xinhua

Abe's popularity has fallen, according to opinion polls.  Photo: EPA

The cogs of war: How a Chinese state firm is profiting from brutal conflict in South Sudan

South Sudanese government soldiers are pictured in Pageri in Eastern Equatoria state on August 20. Photo: AFP

China deploys 700 troops to UN force to protect South Sudan oilfields

China will send 700 troops to South Sudan as part of a UN peacekeeping mission to protect essential infrastructure. Photo: AFP

A Southern Sudanese soldier stands next to the infrastructure of an field processing facility in Unity State. Photo: AFP

China opposes draft of UN sanctions against South Sudan

China's UN ambassador Liu Jieyi said he saw no "logic" behind the proposed resolution. Photo: Xinhua