The Self-Defense Forces should be allowed to use heavy firearms to protect troops participating in any U.S.-led antiterrorism operation, the LDP's top policymaker said Thursday.

"If they use tanks, we will have no choice but to use heavy firearms such as bazookas," said Taro Aso, chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party's Policy Research Council, speaking at a lecture in Tokyo.

The government is planning to enact new legislation to enable Japan to deploy the SDF overseas and to revise the current SDF law to allow the forces to protect all U.S. military facilities in Japan.

"Our opponents are not legitimate government soldiers. Rather, they are terrorists, and there is no guarantee that they will abide by the Geneva Convention which stipulates protection of the injured during wartime."

Under such circumstances, "The government . . . must avoid making (SDF) personnel go to places deemed dangerous without arming them with sufficient weapons," said Aso.

No deal seen for DPJ

The LDP will not revise a bill to enable the Self-Defense Forces to provide logistic support to U.S. and other forces just to gain support from the Democratic Party of Japan, a senior Liberal Democratic Party executive said Thursday.

"In drawing up the bill, we took into consideration the DPJ's opinions," such as limiting its scope to cover only expected U.S.-led antiterrorism operations, the official said on condition of anonymity.

"So we do not intend to comply with any further revision," he said.

The DPJ is opposed to allowing the SDF to transport weapons and ammunition, as well as expanding its use of arms to "protect those under their care."

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi hopes to gain support from opposition parties, especially the DPJ, since the bill concerns national security.

Meanwhile, a senior member of New Komeito, a coalition partner of the LDP, said it is too early to decide whether to compromise with the DPJ because debate on the bill has not yet begun.