Japan may send troops for land mission
Japan could send military personnel for land-based activities to assist Afghanistan in addition to its current navy refueling mission, should circumstances there allow, Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda was quoted as saying yesterday.
"We could be involved in land-based activities if the situation there allows us to cooperate," Fukuda was quoted by Jiji news agency as telling reporters when asked about the possibility of sending Japan's Self-Defense Force personnel to Afghanistan to help the country.
"I'm always thinking about such a possibility," he added.
He was speaking after the government's top spokesman, Nobutaka Machimura, was quoted by Japanese media as saying on Saturday that Tokyo was willing to consider providing such assistance to Afghanistan in addition to refuelling of US and other ships in the Indian Ocean.
But Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba expressed caution. He was quoted by Kyodo news agency as saying on Saturday that while he would not rule out any possibilities, it was not yet time to begin detailed considerations.
Fukuda himself was somewhat ambivalent.
"While we are willing to do what we can do, we will not go if circumstances do not allow us," he was quoted by Kyodo news agency as saying.
In January, the Japanese government forced a law through parliament to resume the controversial naval mission in support of US-led operations in Afghanistan as US and Japanese officials saw the mission as vital to the war against terrorism.
The opposition is against the mission, saying it lacks a UN mandate and violates the country's pacifist constitution.
Agencies
(China Daily 06/02/2008 page6)
