Japan's lower house of parliament approved a resumption of the country's anti-terrorism naval mission in the Indian Ocean on Tuesday, defying opposition lawmakers who had forced a halt to the operation. The legislation, which now goes to the upper house, would limit Japanese ships to refueling and supplying water to ships used in monitoring and inspecting vessels suspected of links to terrorism or arms smuggling.Japanese warships had refueled vessels of the U.S.-led coalition fighting in Afghanistan since 2001, but withdrew on November 1 when the opposition blocked an extension of the operation, saying it violated Japan's pacifist constitution.
Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda's ruling Liberal Democratic Party argued that Japan would be shirking its responsibilities as a leading nation if it halted the mission indefinitely. The United States also has been pushing for a resumption.
"How can Japan be the only one to drop out when our fight against terrorism is only half way through and other countries are cooperating?" asked LDP lawmaker Yasutoshi Nishimura during the debate leading up to the vote.
Read More
