The Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) said on Wednesday that the Japanese government has come up with sufficient measures to protect seamen manning Japanese vessels plying the Somali waters and the Gulf of Aden.

In an advisory issued last August 3, acting secretary Romeo Lagman said that the Office of the Undersecretary of Special and Ocean Concerns of Japan informed the DoLE that its government has dispatched "two destroyers with officers and crew from Japan Coast Guard and Maritime Self Defense to conduct maritime police operations'' in the pirate-infested area.

“These destroyers have escorted a total of 87 Japanese-flagged vessels in 28 operations since 2009,’’ Lagman said in his advisory.

Last month, he said Japan also deployed 2 P-3C patrol aircraft to conduct four flight missions.

The assurance was issued after the DoLE was furnished a copy of the English translation of the "Law on Punishment of and Measures Against Acts of Piracy'' which was enacted by the Japanese Diet recently. The law aims to ensure the protection of Japan- flagged vessels and those other countries that have been consistently under threat of hijacking off the coast of Somalia and the Gulf of Aden.

Lagman said that the active participation of Japan in curbing piracy means "lesser risk'' especially for Filipino seafarers manning Japanese vessels.

Aside from Japan, other countries including the United States, Russia, India, Germany and China have been sending naval patrols to protect their vessels in the said waters.