Lower house panel passes bill to extend Japan's refueling mission+

TOKYO, Oct. 20 Kyodo - A House of Representatives panel on Monday passed a bill to continue next year
Japan's refueling mission in support of U.S.-led antiterrorism operations in
and near Afghanistan, paving the way for the lower house to approve it in a
plenary session on Tuesday.
The bill is expected to pass the Diet at the end of this month, as the lower
house, controlled by the ruling parties, can hold a second vote to override the
opposition-controlled House of Councillors' anticipated rejection of the bill,
in line with constitutional provisions.
The envisioned swift passage is in contrast to the previous extension when the
government, led by Prime Minister Taro Aso's predecessor Yasuo Fukuda, had to
spend months on the passage of a similar bill due to fierce resistance by the
main opposition Democratic Party of Japan.
While the DPJ remains opposed to the mission, the party this time plans to be
more cooperative with the prime minister by agreeing to vote on the bill in the
upper house in the hope that helping Aso clear his priorities would lead him to
call a general election at an early date.
The government-proposed bill is aimed at extending the temporary law
authorizing Japan's controversial refueling mission in the Indian Ocean for one
year beyond its expiration on Jan. 15, 2009.
In the mission, the Maritime Self-Defense Force is refueling foreign vessels
taking part in the U.S.-led crackdown on ships linked to terrorism.
The bill was submitted to parliament on Sept. 29, shortly after the current
extraordinary Diet session convened. Continuing the refueling mission is one of
the key pledges of Aso, who took office on Sept. 24.
Monday's approval of the bill at the lower house's special committee on the
issues of antiterrorism and reconstruction of Iraq was achieved with a majority
vote from the ruling parties.
Meanwhile, the committee voted down a DPJ-presented bill on reconstruction
assistance for Afghanistan, which featured dispatches of Self-Defense Forces
troops and civilians for such missions as disarmament of militant groups and
medical assistance.
The ruling coalition of Aso's Liberal Democratic Party and the New Komeito
party currently holds an overwhelming two-thirds majority in the more powerful
lower house, making it possible for it to put a bill rejected by the upper
house to a revote which requires a two-thirds vote for passage.
But such a vote can only take place in the event the upper house rejects a bill
or does not hold a vote within 60 days of receiving it from the lower house.
The upper house is expected to vote down the bill on Oct. 29, and the bill is
likely to gain final Diet approval through a revote in the lower house on Oct.
30.
==Kyodo