The Lower House Tuesday passed a bill to extend by one year the Maritime Self-Defense Force's refueling mission in the Indian Ocean — a sign of Japan's commitment to international efforts to contain terrorism. The opposition-controlled Upper House will vote down the bill. But the Lower House is expected to take a second vote to enact it toward the end of October, riding on a two-thirds majority of the ruling coalition.
During a Diet session following Mr. Yasuo Fukuda's assumption of power in September 2007, the Democratic Party of Japan vehemently opposed a predecessor bill, causing a suspension for about four months of the MSDF mission. The DPJ said the bill violated the war-renouncing Constitution. The ruling coalition in the Lower House in January 2008 took a second vote to enact the bill by relying on its two-thirds majority.
But this time, the DPJ agreed to a smooth passing of the bill as a tactic for depriving Prime Minister Taro Aso of an excuse to delay the dissolution of the Lower House for general elections. The ruling coalition gladly responded.