Aso at SDF review pledges to continue refueling mission

OMITAMA, Japan, Oct. 19 Kyodo - Prime Minister Taro Aso reiterated Sunday that he is resolved to continue the Maritime Self-Defense Force's refueling mission in the Indian Ocean next year to help U.S.-led antiterrorism operations in and near Afghanistan.

''It is impossible for Japan to choose to withdraw from the mission as a member
of the international community,'' Aso told some 5,000 Self-Defense Forces
personnel at an annual review held at Air Self-Defense Force Hyakuri Base in
Omitama, Ibaraki Prefecture, northeast of Tokyo.
Aso made the remarks after a government-sponsored bill to extend the law
authorizing the refueling mission became likely to clear parliament with the
backing of the ruling coalition by the end of this month.
Aso, as the supreme commander of the SDF, also pledged to try to keep the SDF
involved in foreign missions aimed at helping create peace after withdrawing
the ASDF from the airlifting mission in Iraq by the year-end.
''It is necessary for us to engage in international peace-fostering activities
such as the fight against terrorism in an active manner in the future, too,''
said Aso, who took office last month.
The Ground, Maritime and Air Self-Defense Forces take turns in holding the
annual review.
ASDF chief Gen. Toshio Tamogami said the force downsized the review compared
with the last time it held it in 2005 to save on fuel costs, reducing the
number of airplanes taking part in it to 82 from 117.
Officers of the Defense Ministry's Air Staff Office said it is difficult to
immediately calculate how much fuel has been saved by downsizing Sunday's
review but the event itself cost the government 126 million yen except for the
fuel costs.
==Kyodo