The government plans to dispatch a Maritime Self-Defense Force amphibious ship to transport Thai military units en route to Afghanistan under Japan's special antiterrorism law, sources said Tuesday.
The government notified the three ruling parties of the decision Tuesday, the sources said. The ruling parties will discuss the matter Wednesday in a meeting of senior officials.
Because the current basic plan adopted under the antiterrorism law does not cover sending amphibious ships to the Indian Ocean, the program needs to be revised to allow the dispatch.
The basic plan expires Nov. 19, although the government plans to extend it by six months.
It would be the second six-month extension after one in May this year.
The Thai forces are expected to oversee repair work on a U.S. air base in the suburbs of Kabul.
The decision to dispatch the MSDF amphibious vessel was made in response to a request from the United States.
The antiterrorism law was enacted Oct. 29, 2001, following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in the U.S., to allow Japan to provide U.S.-led forces fighting terrorism in Afghanistan with logistics support.