The Liberal Democratic Party approved a bill Tuesday to extend the special counterterrorism law for another year, keeping the Maritime Self-Defense Force in the Indian Ocean to provide fuel to the U.S.-led naval forces there.
The Cabinet is expected to endorse the bill next Tuesday and submit it to the Diet for debate during the current special session.
The counterterrorism law, which will expire Nov. 1, was first enacted in October 2001, following the terrorist attacks on the United States on Sept. 11 the same year. The legislation was extended for two years in October 2003.
Much of the discussion at Tuesday morning's joint meeting of LDP committees involved in foreign and defense affairs focused on why the extension was for one year and not longer.
Government officials told meeting attendees the threat of terrorism was slowly declining, therefore the one-year extension was so decisions could be made as the situation changed.
Defense Agency Director General Yoshinori Ono said later Tuesday that the shortened extension period would allow the government to review the situation in and around Afghanistan in a more timely manner.
"We made it for one year so that we can properly determine the need for Japan's activities, their substance and the situation of the surrounding areas, and have the public understand that we are doing what must be done," Ono told a news conference.
Under the counterterrorism law, Japan has provided free fuel to military vessels from the United States and other countries conducting counterterrorism operations in the Indian Ocean.