by Shingo Ito Shingo Ito – Sat Feb 6, 9:43 am ET
TOKYO (AFP) – Japanese naval ships returned home on Saturday at the close of an eight-year refuelling mission in support of US-led military operations in Afghanistan, as strains persist in the US-Japan alliance.
On the same day Japan dispatched peacekeeping troops to Haiti to help deal with the aftermath of the Caribbean nation's huge earthquake.
The 13,500-tonne supply ship Mashu and the 4,550-tonne destroyer Ikazuchi, with some 340 personnel on board, arrived at Harumi Wharf in Tokyo Bay to a welcome from their families and government officials.
Last month Defence Minister Toshimi Kitazawa announced an end to the Indian Ocean mission supplying oil and water to vessels used by international forces engaged in Afghanistan.
The move fulfilled a pledge by Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's centre-left government, which ousted the long-ruling conservatives five months ago promising a less subservient relationship with the United States.
Hatoyama -- whose coalition includes the strongly pacifist Social Democrats -- has reiterated that Japan will not deploy troops to Afghanistan.
The premier has instead pledged to step up humanitarian aid to the war-torn country.
"As prime minister, I am proud of your professionalism," Hatoyama said as he and Kitazawa welcomed home the ships and their crew.
"Our government will positively play an appropriate role in humanitarian assistance, prevention of terrorism and UN peacekeeping activities," said Hatoyama.
The return coincided with the departure of a first batch of some 350 Japanese troops for Haiti to join the United Nations peacekeeping mission there.
It will be Japan's first participation in overseas UN peacekeeping operations under the Hatoyama administration.
The first batch of about 160 ground troops left Tokyo's Haneda airport and will arrive in Haiti Sunday, officials said.
"Our turn has finally come," Masaharu Yamamoto, head of the mission, told a departing ceremony. "Representing Japan, we will do our best to work for people in Haiti with our pride and sincerity in mind."
The troops, mostly engineers and logistical support staff, are expected to remove rubble, repair roads and build shelters for quake victims.
Japan's military is barred from fighting overseas under the country's pacifist post-war constitution, but it has joined non-combat operations including in Iraq and as part of anti-piracy patrols off Somalia.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100206/wl_asia_afp/japanafghanistanusmilitaryhaitiquake
