Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on Monday instructed Cabinet members to study the possibility of drawing up a new law that would allow the Self-Defense Forces to give logistic support to the U.S. should the Americans follow through with military threats made after last week's terrorist attacks.
The legislation, if enacted, would enable Japanese forces to provide so-called "rear area" support, such as logistics and intelligence, for a multinational military operation.
"We will fulfill our responsibility as a U.S. ally," Koizumi said after giving instructions to Foreign Minister Makiko Tanaka and Defense Agency Director General Gen Nakatani. "And we should not be isolated from the international community."