Japan vote won't affect US ties much

No matter which party is in power, close alliance with the United States would remain central in Japan's foreign policy making, Chinese experts have said.

The main opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), widely expected to win the August 30 general election, has said it would try to adopt a diplomatic stance less subservient to Washington.

Yesterday, for example, DPJ leader Yukio Hatoyama said the party will terminate the anti-terrorism refueling mission by the Maritime Self-Defense Force in the Indian Ocean in January if it wins power in the August 30 general election. The refueling mission began in late 2001 to support Washington's war on terror in Afghanistan.