Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi called on the opposition camp Thursday to back a government-proposed bill that would allow SDF personnel to play a noncombat role in the U.S.-led military drama now playing out in Afghanistan.

"It will be in the government's interest to clearly show Japan's stance against terrorism as a member of the international coalition. And for that, we need the maximum support of political parties and the Japanese people," Koizumi told the Lower House special committee on antiterrorism, which was launched earlier this week in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in the U.S.

Koizumi's call was apparently aimed at the Democratic Party of Japan, which has shown understanding for the ultimate goal of the planned legislation but is requesting certain revisions.

During deliberations Thursday, Koizumi ruled out accepting a DPJ proposal to exclude weapons and ammunition from the items the Self-Defense Forces would be allowed to transport.

"If we were to insist on checking all cargo, we would be a burden on the multinational operation," Koizumi said, adding that the SDF may end up not even being asked by the U.S. to carry weapons or ammunition.

In a related matter, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda told the committee that the nation will enhance its preparedness for biological terrorism in the wake of an anthrax outbreak in Florida.

He said government plans include securing vaccines and taking measures to prevent tap water from being laced with an alien substance.

Asked if air marshals would travel on Japanese airline flights, transport minister Chikage Ogi questioned the effectiveness of such an idea, given the restrictions on weapon use imposed on Japanese law enforcement officials.

Swift passage: Ikeda

WASHINGTON (Kyodo) Japan aims to promptly pass antiterrorism bills so it can lend its support to the U.S. campaign against terrorism, former Foreign Minister Yukihiko Ikeda told Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage on Wednesday, a Japanese official said.

Tokyo has proposed bills to allow the Self-Defense Forces to provide rear-area logistic support for the U.S.-led military strikes on targets in Afghanistan and to help guard U.S. military installations in Japan.

In a telephone conversation with Armitage, Ikeda said Japan plans to provide maximum support for the fight against terrorism and is making efforts to pass the bills swiftly, the official said.

Armitage welcomed Japan's plans and Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's initiative, the official said.

Public opinion in Japan about peace and security has dramatically changed since the Persian Gulf War a decade ago, and this led to the prompt compilation of support measures, Ikeda was quoted as saying.

Ikeda is visiting Washington to attend as Koizumi's special envoy a funeral for former U.S. Ambassador Mike Mansfield.

He was originally scheduled to meet with Armitage at the State Department, but they spoke over the phone because there was a limited evacuation of the building after a woman opened an envelope and a powdery substance fell onto her shoes.