By KUNA,

Tokyo : Japan on Friday approved a bill to extend its troops' refueling operations in the Indian Ocean to help US-led anti-terrorism mission in and around Afghanistan for another six months to January 15 next year.

A revision to the basic plan for the Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) mission, which is set to expire on July 15, was endorsed at the Cabinet meeting.

"The Defense Ministry will continue to do its best to eliminate international terrorism," Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada told a news conference after the meeting.

The extension will maintain the current size of the operations and the number of vessels and personnel.

The MSDF has deployed a supply ship and a destroyer as well as up to 500 personnel in the Indian Ocean to supply fuel and water to naval vessels from eight countries including the US, Britain, France, Germany and Pakistan.