Japan's Fukuda Plans to Push Through Refueling Bill, Asahi Says

By Stuart Biggs

Nov. 24 (Bloomberg) -- Japan's Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda plans to force through legislation to resume a naval refueling mission supporting U.S.-led operations in Afghanistan by using the ruling coalition's majority in the lower house of parliament, the Asahi newspaper reported today.

Fukuda plans to resubmit the bill to the lower house, where it passed easily on Nov. 13, if the opposition-controlled upper house rejects the bill as expected, the newspaper said, citing unidentified people. The upper house hasn't begun deliberating the bill, the report said.

The prime minister met the leaders of five political parties on Nov. 22 to avoid creating the impression that the government is railroading the bill through parliament, the Asahi said. The government may extend the current parliamentary session until mid-January in order to pass the bill, according to the report.

Fukuda has pledged to restart the naval mission to refuel U.S. and allied warships operating in the Indian Ocean in support of military operations in Afghanistan. The mission, which ended when Japanese anti-terrorism legislation expired on Nov. 1, began in December 2001.

To contact the reporter on this story:
Stuart Biggs in Tokyo at sbiggs3@bloomberg.net .

Last Updated: November 23, 2007 21:04 EST

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