The upper house of Japanese parliament Friday voted down a bill to allow Japan to resume a refueling mission in the Indian Ocean to support US-led anti- terrorism operations.

However, the veto in a plenary session was backed by opposition parties which practically controlled the House of Councilors, set the stage for a second vote by the more powerful lower house later in the day. The government-sponsored bill was passed by the lower house on Nov. 13.

The House of Representatives is expected to convene a plenary session in the afternoon to hold its second vote. Under Japan's constitution, if a bill fails to clear the House of Councilors within 60 days, the bill could be sent back to the lower chamber for a second vote, which would be final.

Japan halted a six-year refueling support to U.S.-led anti- terrorism operations in and near Afghanistan at the end of October, as the special anti-terrorism measures law authorizing such operations expired on Nov. 1.

The current bill, which seeks to continue the refueling support, defines the activities as supplying oil and water to foreign vessels engaged in anti-terrorism maritime interdiction operations in the Indian Ocean and limits the activities to "non-combat" areas in the Indian Ocean. The new law, if established upon the bill, expires one year after coming into force and allows extension for up to one year.

(Xinhua News Agency January 11, 2008)