Japan pays 4 billion yen for refueling U.S. Forces' ships in Indian Ocean

Akahata reported on May 14 that the Self-Defense Forces have already spent 4 billion yen (31,25 million dollar) for oil which they have supplied to U.S. and British forces operating in the Indian Ocean.

The SDF has provided 115,000 kiloliters of oil 68 times (3 times to the British military) up to April 23, and Japan has paid all the costs, Akahata said.

The Defense Agency has not explained where the SDF got the oil because it says, "It might affect U.S. military operations."

The SDF have been operating in the Indian Ocean under the Anti-Terrorism Special Measures Law. The half-year deployment of SDF ships to the sea area was supposed to end on May 19, but the Japanese government decided to keep on dispatching the SDF at the U.S. request. (end)