TOKYO (AFP) — A Japanese parliamentary committee voted Monday to extend a controversial naval mission backing US-led operations in Afghanistan, meaning the legislation is likely to pass this month.
Japan provides fuel and other logistical support in the Indian Ocean to US-led forces engaged in the "war on terror" in Afghanistan as part of an operation which was due to expire in January.
The bill to extend the mission for one more year passed a special committee of the lower house, supported by Prime Minister Taro Aso's coalition which holds a majority in the chamber.
The full lower house is expected to approve the extension Tuesday before sending it to the upper house.
Although the upper house, which is under opposition control, is expected to vote it down, the more powerful lower house can override the rejection.
Last year, the opposition refused to vote in the upper house, forcing a temporary halt to the operation, arguing the officially pacifist country should not take part in "American wars".
But the opposition, which is pressuring Aso into calling snap general elections, is expected to vote down the bill immediately and send it back to the lower house instead of stretching the session like last year.
All military missions are controversial in Japan, which was forced to renounce the right to wage war after its defeat in World War II.
A poll released Monday by the Mainichi Shimbun daily showed that 47 percent of the more than 1,000 respondents supported extending the naval mission while 43 percent opposed it.
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