Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Tuesday approved a bill to extend the special antiterrorism law for another year to allow the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force to continue providing fuel to the US-led coalition of naval forces operating off Afghanistan.

According to Kyodo News, the Cabinet is expected to endorse the bill next Tuesday and submit it to parliament for enactment during the current parliament session.

The antiterrorism law, which will expire Nov. 1, was first enacted in October 2001 following the multiple attacks on the United States on Sept. 11 that year. The legislation was extended for two years in October 2003.

Later Tuesday, Defense Agency Director General Yoshinori Ono said the shortened extension period would allow the government to review the environment 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 press conference.

Under the law, Japan has provided free fuel to military vessels from the United States and other countries conducting antiterrorism operations in the Indian Ocean.

As of late August, the MSDF had provided a total of 407,000 kiloliters, or 16 billion yen (145 million US dollars) worth of fuel, on 541 occasions to vessels from 11 countries.

Ono emphasized that Japan's contributions as part of international efforts to eliminate terrorism have been highly praised by foreign governments.

Source: Xinhua