Japan—Plans Made For New Patrol Vessels To Defend Disputed Senkaku Islands

The Japanese Defense Ministry plans to begin production of a new class of light patrol vessels next year, reports the Yomiuri Shimbun. The new vessels are intended to bolster Japan's reconnaissance and surveillance capabilities in the East China Sea. The ships will displace around 1,300 tons and accommodate a crew of 30, government sources said. No decision has been made on where the vessels will be based or when they will be deployed, said a ministry official cited by the...