In an expected move by the Japanese government, Japan today announced its decision to withdraw from its refueling mission in Afghanistan, that had begun almost 8 years ago in support for the U.S led coalition troops operating in Afghanistan. Japanese assistance is expected to end in January 2010, when its support mandate expires.

Japan had been responsible for providing fuel and other vital supplies to the coalition ships, that patrol the Indian Ocean in search of smugglers and terrorists. Today’s statement comes just a month before U.S President Barrack Obama begins a tour of Japan, to strengthen ties with one of the most booming economies of Asia.

Japan’s decision to withdraw from Afghanistan hasn’t really come as shock to the U.S or other coalition countries, as the Liberal Democratic Party, under whose governance the mission began had been ousted out of power during the August election held this year. The new administration under Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama had been a strong critique of Japan’s involvement with the coalition forces and had been against the refueling mission from day one.

During his visit to Islamabad, Pakistan, Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada stated that, it would be almost impossible for the administration to send a bill of extension for the Afghanistan mission. In a statement, a Japanese foreign ministry official said,

“I think Minister Okada made his remark in the sense that that there may not be enough time for the law to be submitted in the extraordinary parliament session, and that is where we stand at this stage But the government has not necessarily reached an agreement on whether there could be some sort of law to take care of it before the January 15 expiration.”

Via Reuters.