Japan to end Afghan refueling mission

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Japan has announced it will soon end its refueling mission in support of U.S.-led operations in Afghanistan.

Defense Minister, Toshimi Kitazawa, was quoted by an official as saying that "the law will expire in January, and Japan will solemnly withdraw based on the law." It is the clearest statement so far by Prime Minister, Yukio Hatoyama's new government that Japan intends to alter the terms of its relations with its main ally the United States. The mission supplies fuel and water to US and other ships policing the Indian Ocean for weapons and drug smugglers, as well as terrorists.