A contingent of Japanese troops arrived in South Sudan on Monday to join U.N. peacekeepers, making them the first Japanese troops deployed abroad with a mandate to use force in over 70 years, since the end of World War II.
The 350 soldiers are taking over from a previous contingent of Japanese peacekeepers who served in the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, but were not authorized to use force.
Under new powers granted by the Japanese government, the soldiers will be allowed to respond to urgent calls for help from U.N. staff and aid workers.
There are also plans for the new troops to protect U.N. bases, which have been attacked in the past, as well as assist with engineering and construction in the capital, Juba.
Tsuyoshi Higuchi, a Japanese military information official, told Reuters that 67 troops arrived Monday morning. Another 63 are expected to land in the afternoon. The last of the 350 troops are scheduled to arrive on December 15.
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