From Saturday's Nikkei

インド洋給油法　再可決・成立　政府、海自に準備命令　中断３ヶ月経て　来月中旬再開

The government-sponsored bill for MSDF's refueling activities in the Indian Ocean for foreign vessels against international terrorism was voted favor again in the plenary session of the Lower House on the afternoon of January 11,and established as a law.Soon after this legistlature's decision,the Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba issued an preparation order to Maritime Self-Defense Force for its operation.Actual refueling activity in the Indian Ocean will resume around the middle of next month after a three-month break.

from Friday's Nikkei

ＪＦＥとＩＨＩ造船統合へ　国内首位、シェア２割に　年内実現へ交渉　中韓勢に対抗　規模拡大狙い再編加速

JFE Holdings,Inc. and IHI Corporation have entered their negotiations in the direction that they will integrate their shipbuilding businesses within the year.Specifically,First of all,JFE is expected to make its affiliate Universal Shipbuilding Corporation,whose equity capital is held evenly by JEF with Hitachi Zosen Corporation,a subsidiary.And then they will make the subsidiary united with a IHI's subsidiary.When this deal is accomplished, a domstically first-ranked shipbuilding company will be given birth to with the domestic industry share about 20 %.On a global basis, the company will be ranked around sixth in the world in terms of sales amount, and will be vying with South Korean and Chinese rivals.From now on also, the industry's move for the alignment deal aiming at expanding management scale will get momentum.

from today's Nikkei

不審外国船　規制へ新法　海保の領海警備　法的根拠明確に　国交省検討

The Ministry of Land,Infrastructure and Transport has launched its deliberation on establishing a new enactment so that the country will be surely able to regulate a dubious foreign vessel sailing across the Japanese waters.Under the new regulation any foreign ship is,without a legal due reason,forbidden to saty in the waters.This new enactment will be done in the thought that the legal status for Japan Coastal Guard to do its protective activities for Japanese territory should be made cleaer.