In power, DPJ would maintain Indian Ocean mission for now

A government led by the Democratic Party of Japan would continue — for the time being — Japan's refueling mission for coalition ships fighting terrorism in and around Afghanistan, according to the head of the party.

"Continuity is required in diplomacy," DPJ President Yukio Hatoyama said Friday. "Halting (the mission) in a rush would be very reckless."

The remark shows that the party, which opinion polls indicate could win the upcoming general election and take the reins of power, has altered its stance in consideration of the strong desire by the United States that the Maritime Self-Defense Force continue the refueling mission.

The DPJ has long opposed Japan's support for the U.S.-led operations because of the mission's potential conflict with the war-renouncing Constitution, which bans the use of force.

The Social Democratic Party, which plans to form a coalition government with the DPJ after the election, is likely to react sharply to the turnabout in policy.

The SDP states in its platform that the MSDF ships would be called home immediately after the party joins a coalition government led by the DPJ.

DPJ Secretary General Katsuya Okada told a news conference Friday his party does not plan to pull the MSDF out right away.

"We will make a decision with the mission's time limit until next January in mind," he said.

The DPJ has already decided to drop its pledge to halt the mission in its policy platform for the election widely expected to be held Aug. 30.

Former DPJ leader, Ichiro Ozawa had argued that the refueling mission is equivalent to participation in a war and thus violates the Constitution.

The MSDF mission, which began in December 2001, was briefly halted in November 2007 when a temporary law authorizing it expired. The operations were resumed after a new law was enacted in January 2008 and were extended to next January after an amendment last December.