Friday August 31, 5:15 PMNew Japanese Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura assured his Australian counterpart Alexander Downer on Friday that the Japanese government will do its utmost to extend the antiterrorism law, the Foreign Ministry said.
Machimura's repeated assurances on the matter -- to Downer during a phone conversation Friday and to U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice by phone Tuesday -- come amid heated debate over whether or not to extend this law beyond its Nov. 1 expiration date.
For Japan, the United States and Australia are key regional partners with which it works together to fight global terrorism.
Downer, in response, said he recognizes the importance of Japan's operations, according to the ministry.
Machimura talked to Downer on the phone after assuming his post as foreign minister on Monday following Japan's Cabinet reshuffle.
A focal point of discussion was whether or not Japan will extend the legislation authorizing the dispatch of Self-Defense Forces vessels to the Indian Ocean to provide refueling support for U.S.-led antiterrorismm operations in and near Afghanistan.
On Friday, Ichiro Ozawa, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan, reiterated his party's opposition to extending the law. The party gained control of the House of Councillors in the July 29 upper house election along with other opposition parties.
Machimura and Downer also reaffirmed continued cooperation on bilateral security ties and agreed to engage in free trade agreement negotiations, taking into account each other's circumstances, the ministry said, referring to the politically sensitive farm sector.
(Kyodo) _
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