Japan and the United States are split over the planned deployment of a destroyer and other vessels from the Self-Defense Forces to the Indian Ocean ahead of a U.S.-led military strike expected to be made in response to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in the U.S., sources familiar with the plan said Wednesday.

The sources said Japan's proposal to allow the SDF to provide logistic support to the expected U.S. operation differs from what the U.S. has asked for, which could potentially lead to Japan participating without the full blessing of Washington.

As part of a seven-point plan announced by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi last week, the Maritime Self-Defense Force is prepared to dispatch a state-of-the-art Aegis destroyer and three other ships as early as this week to Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean for intelligence-gathering and surveillance duties.

New legislation is expected to be submitted to the extra Diet session beginning today to allow the SDF to take part in this and other rear-area activities, including medical services, transportation and the supply of goods.

The sources said the U.S. Navy welcomes the Japanese move, but has different expectations for Japanese assistance. For example, the sources said, the U.S. wants the MSDF to secure safe passage through the South China Sea -- in light of Islamic extremists in Southeast Asia -- and transport goods between Australia and Diego Garcia and other points.

A Japanese source who was involved in the deployment of an MSDF mine-sweeping contingent after the Persian Gulf War said the MSDF flotilla is apparently being deployed this time without full consultations between Japan and the U.S.

Get ready: Fukuda

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda on Wednesday instructed senior officers of the Self-Defense Forces to be fully prepared to support the U.S. military in the event of a retaliatory strike for the terrorist attacks in the United States.

Fukuda attended a meeting in Tokyo of senior SDF officers on behalf of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, who was visiting the U.S., and asked them to take whatever steps are necessary to enable the SDF to give prompt support to U.S. forces.

Defense Agency chief Gen Nakatani told the meeting: "The SDF should fulfill an international responsibility in a visible way. If you are assigned a mission, I would like you to make a prompt response."

Kitty Hawk returning?

The aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk, which left Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, last Friday and was rumored to be bound for the Indian Ocean, may return to Yokosuka over the weekend, Japanese and U.S. military sources said Wednesday.

The Defense Agency, however, said there was no such information as of Wednesday morning. The sources said the United States believes it has already deployed sufficient forces in the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea, with the nuclear-powered aircraft carriers USS Carl Vinson and USS Enterprise operating in the area.

The carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt is bound for the Indian Ocean via the Mediterranean Sea.

The Kitty Hawk, forward-deployed at the U.S. Navy's Yokosuka base, was believed to be heading for the Indian Ocean to prepare for an expected retaliation by the United States or multinational forces for the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington.

It was also believed the 81,123-ton carrier would soon take on the fighters taking part in nighttime takeoff and landing drills on Iwojima Island about 1,000 km south of Tokyo, until Wednesday.

The Kitty Hawk is now expected to stay in the Western Pacific Ocean, while watching U.S. moves in connection with the attacks, the sources said.

The carrier left Yokosuka bound for an undisclosed destination. It was escorted by several Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyers.

The MSDF said escorting the U.S. carrier is part of its antiterrorism activities in the wake of the attacks.

The Kitty Hawk is part of the U.S. Navy's 7th Fleet, which covers areas including the Pacific and Indian oceans. It carries some 75 aircraft and has 2,800 ship crew members. Its full crew compliment, including the aircraft elements, numbers 5,500.