Japan to mull providing physical support for Afghanistan: Machimura

May 31 10:41 AM US/Eastern

(AP) - TOKYO, May 31 (Kyodo) — Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura said Saturday that Japan intends to consider providing physical support for Afghanistan, including land-based activities, in addition to the current refueling support for multinational antiterrorism operations in the Indian Ocean.

Photo: Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura

"We are wondering whether we could continue with the refueling support and do extra activities," top government spokesman Machimura said in a speech in Tokyo.

"The government is trying to think about the activities with a broad perspective, including whether the activities could be based on the sea or on the land of Afghanistan," he added.

But Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba expressed a cautious stance, telling reporters in Singapore where he is now visiting that he "would not rule out all possibilities but it is still not the stage to begin detailed considerations."

On providing physical assistance to Afghanistan, Ichiro Ozawa, president of the largest opposition Democratic Party of Japan, has voiced the idea of having Japanese personnel, including those from the Self-Defense Forces, participate in nonmilitary activities of the International Security Assistance Force led by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Machimura made the comments with an intention of facilitating talks on the matter as well as the policies regarding Japan's international contributions and security with opposition parties, critics say.

Photo: Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba

As such provision of support requires a legislative process, Machimura said the government should carefully assess the support plan with consideration in mind whether it could win understanding from the DPJ, the largest opposition party.

Machimura also indicated that the Japanese government should come to a conclusion on the new plan by the Group of Eight summit to be held in Japan in July.

"We should be able to clearly express our opinion on the issue (at the summit)," he said.

Machimura added that the government plans to announce additional financial assistance for Afghanistan at a conference of donor countries and agencies for the country to be held in Paris in June.

Ishiba said many issues need to be resolved before sending SDF troops to Afghanistan. The issues include seeking new legislation, assessing "noncombat" areas, determining what types of activities, and coordinating ties with troops of other countries in the same deployment areas.

The government has taken a cautious stance on Japanese participation in ISAF activities, with Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda saying it could run counter to the Constitution because the activities include combat actions.

However, Machimura said in January during a Diet session it would not violate Article 9 of the Constitution even if Japan sends SDF personnel to activities excluding those for maintaining security.