国际英语新闻：Japanese PM plans to dispatch MSDF for refueling mission

TOKYO -- Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda said Friday he is planning to have the Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) vessels leave for the Indian Ocean for refueling operations within this month.

Fukuda made the remarks in a statement shortly after a bill enabling the resumption of refueling missions was enacted into law in the afternoon through a rare second vote in the lower house of the parliament.

The premier said that the government will decide on an implementation plan in the middle of next week. "I plan to have the MSDF troops leave for the Indian Ocean within January," the statement said.
Following the enactment of the bill which allows Japan to restart refueling support for foreign vessels participating in US -led antiterrorism operations in and near Afghanistan, Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba issued an order to the MSDF to prepare for the upcoming mission.

A 13,500-ton fleet support ship and A 4,550-ton destroyer will be dispatched to the Indian Ocean, Kyodo News reported, citing government sources. The refueling operations are expected to restart possibly in mid-February.

Japan halted a six-year refueling support to US-led antiterrorism operations in and near Afghanistan at the end of last October, as the special antiterrorism measures law authorizing such operations expired on November 1, 2007.  

The restart of such missions is considered the most crucial piece of legislation in the current parliament session for the Cabinet under Fukuda. The extraordinary session was extended twice till January 15 to allow enough time to pass the government-sponsored bill.