By David Pilling in Tokyoand Andrew Ward and Peter Smith in Sydney
Published: September 10 2007 03:00
Shinzo Abe, Japan's struggling prime minister, yesterday gambled his premiership on the extension of a special anti-terrorism law, saying he would quit if parliament refused to renew it.
The opposition Democratic Party of Japan, whichcontrols the upper house after July's defeat of Mr Abe's Liberal Democratic party, has threatened to veto the renewal of the legislation, which expires on November 1.
The issue is expected to dominate an extraordinary session of parliament that opens today, as the opposition DPJ seeks to embarrass Mr Abe internationally and force him to step down.
Mr Abe, speaking at a press conference in Sydney at the close of the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation summit, said he had "no intention of sticking to my duties" if the anti-terror law could not be extended. The law allows Japan to refuel allied ships in the Indian Ocean for operations relating to Afghanistan.
At the weekend, George W. Bush, US president, urged Mr Abe to steer the legislation through, describing Japanese help in the Indian Ocean as "absolutely essential".
Jim Jeffrey, US deputy national security adviser, said the US would be "very, very concerned" if Japanese support disappeared, and urged Mr Abe's opponents to "rethink their position".
"The president urged that the Japanese find a way to continue this very, very important support for our forces," said Mr Jeffrey.
Washington's public ex-pression of concern highlights the potential for the recent upheaval in Japanese politics to damage relations with Washington.
Ichiro Ozawa, leader of the opposition DPJ, has long voiced his opposition to Japan acting abroad in operations not sanctioned by the United Nations. Political analysts say his ideological objections provide useful cover for the more immediate objective of toppling Mr Abe and forcing a general election.
Diplomats say the US may be quietly contemplating the possibility that the special law will not be renewed on November 1. Referring to the refuelling of Pakistani ships in particular, General Peter Pace, outgoing chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in Tokyo recently it would very difficult but "not impossible" to continue operations without Japan's support.
Members of the DPJ have suggested that some of the US ships supplied in the Indian Ocean by Japanmay end up in Iraq rather than Afghanistan, an accusation that could further damage public support for the operation. The government and foreign ministry have denied this.
Fukushiro Nukaga, a heavyweight named as finance minister in Mr Abe's post-election cabinet, underlined the sense of crisis in the ruling LDP, saying: "This is no time for party infighting. We need to reunite ourselves. It would be very unfortunate if politics became unstable and policies couldn't continue."
Speaking to the foreign press, Mr Nukaga suggested that the LDP needed to refocus its message in response to voter anger. "There is an earnest voice from the people calling for more urgent measures to revitalise the regions," he said.
"There are some darker sides to reform. We need policies so that the benefits of growth can be enjoyed broadly and widely."
Mr Nukaga insisted that he was not advocating a return to pork-barrel politics, saying he still intended to push through fiscal consolidation, including cutting the already-squeezed public works budget by a further 3 per cent next year. But new priorities had to be set, he said.
Mr Abe could be further damaged this week if opinion polls, as expected, show a fall in his approval rating after the re-emergence of money scandals in his cabinet. Last week the farm minister quit, the fifth minister to leave Mr Abe's cabinet since he came to office last September. Political analysts say the spate of resignations reflects Mr Abe's weakness rather than an unusual rash of corruption.
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