The Lower House Tuesday passed a bill to extend by one year the Maritime Self-Defense Force's refueling mission in the Indian Ocean — a sign of Japan's commitment to international efforts to contain terrorism. The opposition-controlled Upper House will vote down the bill. But the Lower House is expected to take a second vote to enact it toward the end of October, riding on a two-thirds majority of the ruling coalition.

During a Diet session following Mr. Yasuo Fukuda's assumption of power in September 2007, the Democratic Party of Japan vehemently opposed a predecessor bill, causing a suspension for about four months of the MSDF mission. The DPJ said the bill violated the war-renouncing Constitution. The ruling coalition in the Lower House in January 2008 took a second vote to enact the bill by relying on its two-thirds majority.

But this time, the DPJ agreed to a smooth passing of the bill as a tactic for depriving Prime Minister Taro Aso of an excuse to delay the dissolution of the Lower House for general elections. The ruling coalition gladly responded.

The bill only concerns military-related activities in the effort to contain terrorism. Both the ruling coalition and the DPJ should spend sufficient time discussing what kinds of efforts Japan should make to help the Afghan people solve their social and economic problems so that their everyday lives will improve. Japanese politicians should try to find out what Afghan people need and work out concrete nonmilitary ways to meet such needs. (Japan has offered Afghanistan more than $1.4 billion for reconstruction and improvements in law and order.)

Such discussions will be meaningful because there are indications that it is becoming difficult for coalition forces to gain a military victory over the Taliban forces in Afghanistan. The government of President Hamid Karzai has recognized the need to bring about peace through talks with elements of the Taliban who are willing to strike a political deal. It is also time for Japanese politicians to consider how to help promote a political reconciliation in Afghanistan.