Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi failed Wednesday to reveal how Japan would help the United States if its key ally retaliates against last week's deadly terrorist attacks in New York and Washington.
Under its pacifist constitution Japan must either enact new legislation or expand the interpretation of US-Japan security guidelines on defense cooperation in "areas surrounding Japan" in case of emergency.
But Koizumi steered clear of saying which option he would take.
"It is important to consider in an independent manner what Japan can do while watching the situation carefully and keeping close contact with countries concerned," he told a parliamentary committee.
The Japanese media have reported that US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage urged Japan to dispatch its Self-Defense Force (SDF) to provide non-combatant support to US troops, asking Japan to "show the flag."
Japan donated a massive 13 billion dollars of financial assistance to an allied coalition at the time of the 1991 Gulf War.
But politicians consider the compromise a diplomatic failure after it invited criticism that Japan was merely giving away money while making no real human effort.
Defense Agency chief Gen Nakatani has said Japan "should not repeat the same failure [as it did] at the time of the Gulf War."
After losing World War II, Japan's post-war constitution renounced the right to wage war as a means of resolving international disputes. The document also bars Japan from maintaining "military" forces.
Japan has surmounted that legal hurdle, however, by referring to its armed personnel -- which numbered 236,368 in 1999 -- as its Self-Defense Force.
Koizumi said Japan's coalition government was considering ways to assist the United States "within the framework of the constitution", but did not rule out devising new legislation.
"By making comprehensive considerations on what we can do and cannot do under current laws, the government and ruling parties hope to be prepared for assistance and cooperation no matter what happens," he said.
The Mainichi newspaper reported Wednesday the government planned to offer logistics support to the Untied States by passing a temporary law which would remain in force only until the end of any retaliatory action.
Tokyo aims to submit a bill outlining the legislation to parliament when it reopens on September 27, the daily said.
Meanwhile, the Asahi newspaper reported the government was considering a special law to let the nation support a US strike -- but without a clear time limit -- as any US military action might be prolonged.
The main pillar of Japanese support would likely be the supply of essential materials to staging areas in the Indian Ocean and Pakistan, the Asahi said -- TOKYO (AFP)
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