Japan's Support of Afghanistan Missions in Doubt

The Power and Interest Report (PINR), an independent organization that provides conflict analysis services, has published a new intelligence brief on the Japanese military's refueling operations in support of the U.S.-led Global War on Terror in Afghanistan. The brief, titled "Japan's Indian Ocean Refueling Mission Set to Expire," is available on the PINR web site.

According to the brief, Japan has been utilizing its Maritime Self-Defense Force to conduct refueling missions for allied vessels engaged in military operations in Afghanistan. These missions have been going on for the last six years, but are scheduled to stop November 1 when the mandate for them expires. PINR notes that the missions have been extended three times previously, but this time an renewal of the mandate is very much uncertain.

Changes in political power in Japan, the brief says, have positioned political parties opposed to former Japanese leader Shinzo Abe to put off the renewal of the refueling mission mandate which would have the effect of ending the mission until legislation could move through the political process once again. The man who replaced Abe, Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, has introduced legislation into the Japanese lower house that would provide support to allied ships in the Indian Ocean, but would limit the mission to twelve months.

Opposition members have stated that the refueling missions were in violation of the Japanese Constitution because they provided logistical support to units engaged in combat operations and because the operations in Afghanistan are not being conducted under a mandate from the United Nations, PINR says. If Prime Minister Fukuda cannot reach an agreement with the opposition, the brief argues, Japanese assistance to coalition forces supporting operations in Afghanistan will have to cease.