Japan on Thursday ordered home ships engaged on a refuelling mission in the Indian Ocean, halting the close US ally's main role in the "war on terror" due to domestic opposition.
Japan, which has been officially pacifist since the end of World War II, has supplied fuel to US and other forces operating in Afghanistan under legislation first passed after the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.
But the government failed to extend the mission as the main opposition party, which controls one house of parliament, has vowed that Japan should not take part in "American wars." Defence Minister Shigeru Ishiba issued orders at 3:00 pm for Japan's two ships in the Indian Ocean-the destroyer Kirisame and the supply ship Tokiwa-to return to Japan.
Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, whose predecessor quit in September in part due to his failure to prolong the deployment, vowed to "do my utmost for the swift passage" of new legislation to resume the operation. "Terrorism is a challenge against free and open societies.
The war on terrorism affects our national interests," Fukuda said in a statement. "It is surely necessary for us to continue refuelling activities in order to fulfil our responsibilities in solidarity with the international community which is trying to eradicate terrorism," he said. But public opinion on the mission is sharply divided in Japan, whose military has not fired a shot in combat since the United States imposed a pacifist constitution after World War II.
The United States Thursday strongly urged Japan to reconsider its decision. "We would like for those refuelling to continue and we will be talking to the Japanese," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said, adding that Fukuda would likely come to the United States in two weeks.
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