Japan extends its naval unit's Afghan support mission

Asia Pacific News.Net
Friday 3rd July, 2009

Japan's Cabinet Friday approved a bill to extend its troops' refuelling operations in the Indian Ocean to help the US-led forces in Afghanistan by another six months till Jan 15 next year, a media report said.

The current mission of Japan's Maritime Self-Defence Force (MSDF) in the Indian Ocean is set to expire July 15.

'The defence ministry will continue to do its best to eliminate international terrorism,' Defence Minister Yasukazu Hamada told a news conference after the cabinet decision, the Online news agency reported.

The MSDF has deployed a supply ship, a destroyer and around 500 personnel in the Indian Ocean to help the foreign navy vessels.

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