Taku Yamasaki, secretary general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, said Sunday that weapons-use restrictions on the Self-Defense Forces must be eased because the medical and refugee support they will be providing for the United States military in Pakistan will endanger them.

"Medical activities and refugee support cannot be provided without going to Pakistan," Yamasaki said on morning TV programs. "It is irresponsible on the part of politicians if we do not take into account the safety of SDF personnel to be dispatched."

Yamasaki was referring to legislation being planned that would enable the SDF to give logistic support to the U.S.-led retaliation expected for the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

The use of weapons by SDF troops has been strictly limited so that it does not infringe on the Constitution, which bans the "use of force as means of settling international disputes."

The government, however, is considering easing SDF restrictions on logistic support activities in the event of the U.S.-led forces strike.

Yukio Hatoyama, leader of the Democratic Party of Japan, the nation's largest opposition party, spoke out against easing weapons-use standards and said those stipulated in current laws are sufficient for the upcoming operation.

"We are talking about approving activities that are distinguished from areas where combat operations are being conducted," Hatoyama said, referring to the SDF law and a law allowing the SDF to provide rear support to the U.S. military in emergencies in "areas surrounding Japan."

Takenori Kanzaki, leader of New Komeito, one of the three partners in the ruling coalition, said it would be desirable to put a time limit on the legislation so the Diet will be able to review it again.

"It would be better to set a time, say two years. The Diet should again become involved then," Kanzaki said.

Takeshi Noda, leader of the New Conservative Party, the junior coalition partner, said that if a Japanese Aegis-equipped destroyer is sent on an intelligence-gathering mission to the Indian Ocean, the data should be shared with the U.S. military.

Hatoyama has opposed dispatching the destroyer, which is equipped with a top-of-the-line air defense system.