Opposition threatens censure against Fukuda government

- Agencies

TOKYO – A Japanese parliamentary committee yesterday approved the renewal
of a limited anti-terror naval mission in the Indian Ocean, setting the
stage for a fresh showdown with the opposition.

Japanese warships had been refuelling vessels in the region since 2001 in
support of US-led combat operations in Afghanistan, but the mission was
halted on Nov 1 because of objections by the opposition, which controls
the upper house of Parliament and argues that Japan should not be part of
“American wars”.

But a committee in the lower house, where Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda’s
coalition enjoys an overwhelming majority, passed a bill which limits
Japanese ships to refuelling and supplying water to ships used in
monitoring and inspecting suspicious vessels.

The new mission would be a part of the US-led Operation Enduring Freedom.
However, it would not allow Japanese warships to refuel vessels involved
in military attacks, or in rescue and humanitarian operations directly
related to Afghanistan.

The full lower house is expected to approve the measure today and send it
to the upper house, where the opposition is expected to reject it.

While the lower house can override a rejection by the upper house, the
main opposition Democratic Party of Japan on Sunday threatened a censure
motion against Mr Fukuda’s government if it resorts to such drastic
measures.

Mr Fukuda’s Liberal Democratic Party in turn has warned the opposition,
which has recently been in disarray, that a snap general election may be
called if it pushes through a censure motion.