Japan to dispatch aircraft to help Malaysia search for missing jet

Japan would dispatch Air Self- Defense Force (ASDF) transport aircraft to join international massive hunt for the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, local media reported Tuesday.   [Special coverage]

Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera told reporters that an advance team of four ASDF staff will leave for Kuala Lumpur later in the day. The Japanese government would decide what activities the aircraft will engage in after the team reports back.

According to Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, the Malaysian government requested Tokyo on Monday to aid the search for the missing plane.

"We will take into account what is expected (by Malaysia) and do whatever we can in response to the request," the top government spokesman said in a press conference earlier Tuesday.

The Boeing 777 aircraft suddenly vanished from radar early Saturday morning while carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew members from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Among the passengers, 154 are Chinese.

Dozens of ships and planes from around 10 countries are scouring the waters around Flight MH370's last known location, but no solid clues have been found so far.