A bill to continue Japan's refueling mission in support of U.S.-led anti-terrorism operations in and near Afghanistan through to next year passed the House of Representatives on Oct. 21, with the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan shying away from using tactics to delay a vote to resist the bill.

The Lower House passed a bill Oct. 21 to extend Japan's refueling mission in the Indian Ocean. KYODO PHOTO

The opposition-controlled House of Councilors is likely to swiftly vote down the bill, leading the Lower House, controlled by the ruling parties, to hold an overriding second vote for final Diet approval of the bill at the end of October.

Given that Prime Minister Taro Aso is moving ahead to clear a number of his priorities since the launch of his administration in late September, speculation is growing that he will decide on when to dissolve the Lower House to call an election possibly by the end of October.

The government-proposed bill is aimed at extending the temporary law authorizing Japan's controversial refueling mission in the Indian Ocean for one year beyond its expiration Jan. 15, 2009.

The envisioned swift passage of the refueling bill is in contrast to the previous extension, when the government, led by Aso's predecessor Yasuo Fukuda, had to spend months on the passage due to the DPJ's resistance. The political wrangling even created a suspension in the mission.

While the DPJ remains opposed to the mission, the party this time plans to be more cooperative with the prime minister by agreeing to vote on the bill in the Upper House in the hope that helping Aso clear his priorities would lead him to call an early general election.