Democratic Party of Japan President Ichiro Ozawa turned down a U.S. request Wednesday to continue Japan's support for counterterrorism operations in Afghanistan, throwing the future of a special antiterrorism law into doubt.
During a narrowly focused meeting in Tokyo with U.S. Ambassador to Japan Thomas Schieffer, Ozawa said Japan should not keep providing logistic support to the NATO-led counterterrorism operations in Afghanistan because he believes they are U.S.-centered.
The DPJ, which acquired a majority in the Upper House in last month's election, has said it intends to oppose the special antiterrorism law, which allows the Maritime Self-Defense Force to refuel warships in the Indian Ocean whose nations are engaged in counterterrorism operations in Afghanistan. The law expires Nov. 1, and its extension is expected to be a key issue in the extraordinary Diet session in autumn.