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.