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Japan parliament approves revival of naval mission

Japan's ruling coalition forced a bill through parliament yesterday to revive a US-backed anti-terror mission in the Indian Ocean, clearing the way for Japanese ships to return to the region.

Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda said that the new mission would be dispatched by the end of this month, launching a limited version of a refueling operation that had been suspended in November.

To get the mission approved, Fukuda's ruling coalition used a rare legislative procedure of winning a vote in the powerful lower house by a two-thirds majority to overrule the opposition-controlled upper house.

"The refueling mission is Japan's effort to do as much as it can, utilizing our ability," Fukuda said in a statement after the measure passed. "It is truly significant that Japan can rejoin the fight against terrorism."

Japan had refueled ships since 2001 in support of US-led forces in Afghanistan, but was forced to abandon the mission last fall when the resurgent opposition blocked an extension.

The measure enacted yesterday limits Japanese ships to refueling boats not directly involved in hostilities in Afghanistan, a restriction aimed at winning over a public wary of violating the spirit of the pacifist constitution.

Following the vote, Japanese Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba promptly ordered ships to prepare for dispatch. The fleet should leave port in two to three weeks and resume operations in five to six weeks, the ministry said.

Fukuda and other ruling party lawmakers argued the mission was needed to fulfill Japan's obligations in the global war against terrorism and give the country a world role commensurate with its economic clout.

"Japan must join the world in the fight against terrorism," ruling party lawmaker Akio Sato told parliament ahead of the vote. "We must make a quick return."

The US had lobbied hard for the mission, and US Ambassador Thomas Schieffer made a rare public foray into domestic politics on the issue by meeting with lawmakers to urge their support. He cheered the passage yesterday.

"Terrorism is the bane of our time," he said in a statement. "By passing this legislation, Japan has demonstrated its willingness to stand with those who are trying to create a safer, more tolerant world."

The lower house vote, which approved the measure 340 versus 133, followed the upper house's rejection of the bill earlier in the day.

The opposition accused the ruling camp of forcing its will on the people.

"This is a clear abuse of power," said Yoshito Sengoku, an opposition Democratic Party of Japan lawmaker. "The government will now surely lose the trust of the people."
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