US urges Japan to extend Afghan war support

TOKYO, Aug 3 (Reuters) A senior US official today urged Japan to extend support for US-led war efforts in Afghanistan despite the chance that an opposition party, fresh from a huge election win, might block the move.

Speaking in Tokyo, Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte expressed concern that Japanese ships might stop providing fuel and goods for coalition warships in the Indian Ocean, hampering Washington's fight against terrorism.

''In our view, it would be harmful to international interests as a whole if they were to be interrupted, so we hope that it will be possible for them to continue,'' Negroponte told a news conference.

''We hope that the law ... would be extended.'' Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government is seeking to extend a temporary law that allows the naval operation, but the opposition Democratic Party, which won control of parliament's upper house in last Sunday's election, could block the legislation.

The Japanese government assured Negroponte that its foreign policy had not changed.

''Prime Minister Abe has said that the anti-terror law is the basis for Japan to play the role that is expected of it from the world,'' said Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki, who had met Negroponte earlier in the day.

''He wants to make every effort to have opposition parties understand this,'' he told reporters.

Democratic Party leader Ichiro Ozawa has said the party would oppose extension of the law, due to expire in November, although some party colleagues want Japan to continue helping its closest security ally.

Seiji Maeda, who led the Democratic Party until 2006, told Reuters on Thursday it was ''important for Japan to participate in the fight against terrorism''.

The Democrats' secretary general, meanwhile, said the party would debate the issue in depth to align differing views.

''I am aware that there are various opinions within the party, therefore, while taking those opinions into account, as a party we want to come up with a conclusion,'' Yukio Hatoyama told a news conference.

''Everyone agrees with the need for policies to cope with terrorism ... But is it really effective, and has it been effective, to try to eradicate terrorism through war?'' REUTERS SYU HS1651