Japan's 8-yr refueling mission for antiterrorism forces ends+

ABOARD SUPPLY SHIP MASHU IN ARABIAN SEA, Jan. 15 Kyodo -
Japan's eight-year refueling mission in the Indian Ocean in support of U.S.-led
antiterrorism operations in and around Afghanistan ended Friday with the expiry
of the law authorizing it, as the government led by the Democratic Party of
Japan shifted to a policy of offering civilian aid to the conflict-ravaged
country.

Maritime Self-Defense Force vessels will leave the waters following an order
issued by Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa earlier Friday to terminate the
MSDF's operations at midnight Japan time. The activities had continued for most
of the period since December 2001 in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks
that year in the United States.
Before the end of the mission, the 13,500-ton supply ship Mashu and the
4,550-ton destroyer Ikazuchi conducted their last refueling operation Friday
for a Pakistan Navy vessel in the Arabian Sea. The MSDF vessels are scheduled
to arrive back home in early February, according to the Defense Ministry.
As an alternative support measure, Japan has pledged to offer up to $5 billion
in civilian aid to Afghanistan over five years.
Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama expressed in a statement his ''heartfelt respect
and gratitude'' to MSDF officers who have executed the mission ''in a severe
working environment with high morale and discipline.''
''Working toward international peace and stability serves our national
interests and Japan will continue to proactively contribute to antiterrorism
operations,'' the prime minister said.
Kitazawa told reporters Friday he believes the ''high level of Japan's
refueling technology'' was demonstrated to the world through the operations.
He said, however, that demand for such operations had been declining in recent
years and that Japan will try to come up with fresh international contribution
measures.
Kitazawa held a teleconference with Capt. Ryo Sakai, commander of the MSDF
dispatch unit engaged in the refueling activities, who is aboard the Mashu, and
said he hoped for the safe return of the officers.
Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada and consumer affairs minister Mizuho Fukushima
stressed the need to examine the MSDF activities, noting that information
disclosure on the use of the fuel supplied was not satisfactory.
Referring to an allegation that the fuel provided by Japan could have been
diverted to U.S.-led operations in Iraq, once a hot topic in the Diet, Okada
said, ''There have been various evaluations about the mission, both positive
and negative. I think we have to look back and examine the activities at some
stage.''
Meanwhile, the major opposition Liberal Democratic Party expressed its
''extreme regret'' in a statement over the MSDF pullout, saying it could give
the impression that Japan is withdrawing from antiterrorism activities
entirely.
LDP leader Sadakazu Tanigaki told reporters that he believes the termination of
the highly appreciated mission was the ''wrong choice'' for Japan.
Diplomatic sources said U.S. officials have recently appeared rather
indifferent about the end of Japan's refueling mission.
Michael Auslin, director of Japan Studies at the American Enterprise Institute
for Public Policy Research, told reporters in Tokyo that Washington understands
the policy change in Japan. ''Everyone can evolve their mission over time and I
don't think it's anything that we should worry about,'' he said.
Given the restrictions imposed under the war-renouncing Constitution, Japan
chose to provide fuel and water to foreign naval vessels participating in
U.S.-led efforts to interdict ships linked to terrorism as well as drug and
arms smuggling in the region.
Japan had provided about 510,000 kiloliters of oil to vessels from 12
countries, including Britain, France, Pakistan and the United States, in 938
operations as of Dec. 31 last year, according to a Defense Ministry tally.
The cost of fuel provided to foreign vessels during the mission since fiscal
2001 totaled 24.4 billion yen and expenses for the entire refueling mission
amounted to 71.5 billion yen, according to the ministry.
Tokyo also provided around 1,200 kl of fuel for helicopters on foreign ships
taking part in antiterrorism activities in 85 operations and supplied foreign
vessels with about 11,000 tons of water on 194 occasions. In total, around
13,300 MSDF members took part in the mission, the ministry said.
U.S. and Pakistani vessels were the major recipients of the fuel provided by
the MSDF, the tally showed.
==Kyodo
2010-01-16 01:36:32


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