Japan will reportedly send a warship and patrol planes to protect Japanese ships in the Middle East.

According to Kyodo News, Japanese Defense Minister Taro Kono will order the Maritime Self-Defense Force assets to the region on Friday to engage in an information-gathering mission.

The report said the mission, approved by the Japanese Cabinet late last year, is intended to help secure the safe passage of Japanese commercial ships as the situation in the Middle East remains volatile.

Kyodo also said that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will make a planned trip to the Middle East on Saturday after the United States opted not to take further military action against Iran. 

Abe will visit Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Oman and reportedly call for the need to de-escalate the situation in the Middle East and provide information about Tokyo's information-gathering mission plan.