Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage on Friday expressed hopes that Japan will promptly enact bills that pave the way for its Self-Defense Forces to cooperate with the United States in its campaign against terrorism.
"Certainly there is a role for the SDF in territorial defense. Certainly there is a role in the logistic support in the counterterrorism effort," Armitage told Japanese reporters here.
"I hope that both houses in the Diet will see this clearly," he said.
The Japanese government submitted Friday to the Diet a bill designed to open the way for the SDF to provide rear-area logistic support for the anticipated U.S.-led military operations against terrorism.