Japan's parliament has enacted a law to resume refueling support for foreign vessels participating in anti-terrorism operations in the Indian Ocean.

The new law defines the activities as supplying oil and water to foreign vessels and limits the activities to non-combat areas in the Indian Ocean. It expires one year after coming into force and allows extension for up to one year.

Shigeru Ishiba is Japan's Defense Minister.

The Defense Ministry will sincerely accept this result and must reflect it to our future activities.

Japan halted a six-year refueling support to US-led anti-terrorism operations at the end of October, as the special anti-terrorism measures law authorizing such operations expired on Nov. 1.