Japan's upper house of parliament voted Wednesday to halt the air force's transport mission in Iraq, intensifying the opposition bloc's standoff with the government over Tokyo's role in peacekeeping missions abroad.
The opposition-controlled upper house approved a bill in a vote of 133-103, but the legislation is expected to be voted down when it goes to the more powerful lower house.
The vote comes amid a political battle over Japan's mission in the Indian Ocean in support of U.S.-led troops fighting in Afghanistan. The mission was halted Nov. 1 when the opposition blocked it in parliament. ( AP )