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| China-Japan-Koreas |
| Japan panel votes to restart Afghan mission |
| 2007-11-12 |
| TOKYO - A Japanese parliamentary committee on Monday approved a bill to restart a naval mission supporting U.S.-led operations in Afghanistan, but it faced rejection by the upper house, which could trigger a snap general election. The lower house committee vote came ahead of a visit this week by Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda to Washington, which wants Tokyo to resume refuelling of US and other ships patrolling the Indian Ocean for drug runners and suspected terrorists. The Japanese mission was halted this month after government and opposition failed to agree to renew it. The bill is expected to pass in the full lower house, where the ruling coalition commands a strong majority, on Tuesday and it will then be sent to the opposition-dominated upper house. ‘We will strive to secure understanding from the upper house, especially from the opposition parties so that we can resume our refuelling activity as soon as possible,’ Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura told reporters after the committee’s vote. The opposition Democratic Party, the largest force in the upper house, has vowed to oppose the bill. |
| Posted by:Steve White |