The United States has told Japan none of its warships taking part in the Iraq war has received fuel from Japanese vessels that are supporting the U.S.-led antiterrorism mission in and around Afghanistan, Japanese and U.S. sources said Friday.
It is the first time Washington has formally responded since Tokyo asked the U.S. Defense Department in late September to clarify its position on allegations that fuel provided by Japan in February 2003 may have been used for U.S. operations in Iraq in violation of Japanese law.
A Japanese peace group said last month that the logbook of the U.S. oil ship Pecos and other materials suggested the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force ship Tokiwa gave illegal logistical support for the war in Iraq by indirectly supplying oil to the U.S. carrier Kitty Hawk, which took part in the war.
A special Japanese law only allows the MSDF to provide fuel for foreign vessels taking part in the U.S.-led mission in and around Afghanistan, known as Operation Enduring Freedom, under Japan's pacifist Constitution.
In line with the Pentagon's statement, a U.S. administration official said fuel provided by Japan's MSDF vessels ''doesn't get diverted'' to U.S. operations in Iraq.
''We're getting the fuel in the OEF mission area and we're using it for OEF missions,'' he said, speaking on condition of anonymity. ''It hasn't been diverted. It's all been used for OEF.''
''Japanese fuel accounts for about 10 percent of the fuel that has been used there overall,'' the official said, adding the U.S. ships operating in and around Afghanistan ''have a lot more OEF missions than Japanese fuel accounts for.''
The Japanese government has faced difficulty securing parliamentary approval to extend the refueling mission since the opposition camp took control of the House of Councillors following an election in July.
Japan's largest opposition party, the Democratic Party of Japan, has expressed its opposition to extending the law, which is set to expire Nov. 1, saying the operations have no U.N. mandate.
Against this backdrop, the U.N. Security Council recently adopted a resolution expressing its appreciation to nations taking part in the U.S.-led antiterrorism operations in and around Afghanistan.
Japanese officials hope the resolution helps convince the DPJ to reconsider its opposition to the refueling mission.
With the Pentagon's explanation, the Japanese government will try to persuade the opposition camp to support extending the refueling mission, the sources said. ( Kyodo )