Japanese ship returns as PM talks to resume naval mission
Friday, 23 November 2007
TOKYO, Nov 22 (AFP): A Japanese ship supporting the US- led 'war on terror' in the Indian Ocean returned home Thursday as Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda launched talks to resume the naval mission.
Japan on November 1 called home its two ships in the Indian Ocean, which provided fuel and other support to US-led forces operating in Afghanistan, due to a legislative deadlock with the opposition.
The Kirisame destroyer, which had been at sea for four months, returned Thursday morning to Sasebo port in southwestern Nagasaki prefecture, television footage showed.
The other ship in the mission, the Tokiwa oiler, is due to return to Tokyo Friday, a defence ministry official said.
The opposition, which won control of the upper house of parliament in July elections, opposed the naval mission arguing that Japan has been too close to US President George W Bush.
The opposition has also pledged to first probe a growing corruption scandal, in which Finance Minister Fukushiro Nukaga has faced and denied allegations, before considering Fukuda's bill to resume the mission.
Fukuda returned early Thursday from an Asian summit in Singapore and was due to hold talks with the leaders of the six other parties in parliament including main opposition leader Ichiro Ozawa.
"I think the prime minister will ask that the parliamentary debate run smoothly and that the legislation (on the mission) passes, particularly in the upper house," chief government spokesman Nobutaka Machimura told reporters.
Fukuda last week assured Bush in Washington that he would work to resume the deployment, which the premier argues is a necessary contribution to international efforts.
Fukuda's predecessor, Shinzo Abe, resigned in September after a series of scandals involving ministers and the opposition's refusal to extend the Indian Ocean mission.
Japan on November 1 called home its two ships in the Indian Ocean, which provided fuel and other support to US-led forces operating in Afghanistan, due to a legislative deadlock with the opposition.
The Kirisame destroyer, which had been at sea for four months, returned Thursday morning to Sasebo port in southwestern Nagasaki prefecture, television footage showed.
The other ship in the mission, the Tokiwa oiler, is due to return to Tokyo Friday, a defence ministry official said.
The opposition, which won control of the upper house of parliament in July elections, opposed the naval mission arguing that Japan has been too close to US President George W Bush.
The opposition has also pledged to first probe a growing corruption scandal, in which Finance Minister Fukushiro Nukaga has faced and denied allegations, before considering Fukuda's bill to resume the mission.
Fukuda returned early Thursday from an Asian summit in Singapore and was due to hold talks with the leaders of the six other parties in parliament including main opposition leader Ichiro Ozawa.
"I think the prime minister will ask that the parliamentary debate run smoothly and that the legislation (on the mission) passes, particularly in the upper house," chief government spokesman Nobutaka Machimura told reporters.
Fukuda last week assured Bush in Washington that he would work to resume the deployment, which the premier argues is a necessary contribution to international efforts.
Fukuda's predecessor, Shinzo Abe, resigned in September after a series of scandals involving ministers and the opposition's refusal to extend the Indian Ocean mission.