All national dailies except Yomiuri reported that on Wednesday the GOJ briefed LDP parliamentarians on its plan to deploy military assets to the Middle East for “intelligence collection.” Some were reportedly unconvinced by the plan to apply a provision of the Defense Ministry Establishment Act to justify the deployment. They argued that invoking a clause that authorizes the ministry to conduct “research and study” is inappropriate. The GOJ briefers reportedly said a separate act may be invoked if the deployed vessels are required to escort or protect commercial Japanese ships. Other politicians reportedly raised doubts about the GOJ’s plan not to operate MSDF assets in the Strait of Hormuz.