Japan's Leader Cites Limits In Global Security Abilities

Abe's government was mired, at the time, in a parliamentary stalemate over a Japanese naval mission in the Indian Ocean to refuel warships taking part in military operations in Afghanistan.

That stalemate has continued, all but paralyzing Fukuda's government. With an opposition party firmly in control of the upper house of parliament, Fukuda could not renew the law that authorized the refueling mission.

Two weeks ago, the law expired, the mission ended and the ships sailed home. The United States has strongly urged Japan to renew the law and send the tankers back.

Fukuda said his visit to Washington, where he is scheduled to meet with Bush on Friday, is intended to affirm that "many Japanese, not just myself, think that U.S.-Japan relations are by far the most important and most valuable" component of Japan's foreign policy.

As for the refueling operation that is Japan's primary contribution to the war in Afghanistan, Fukuda said that "we have no option but to persist" in trying to push a continuation through parliament.

"I regret very much that there are political parties in Japan that are opposed to a law that enables Japan to engage in that activity," he said.

Fukuda was referring to the Democratic Party of Japan. Ten days ago, he invited that opposition party to join his government in a grand coalition, but he was immediately rebuffed.

In the interview, Fukuda gave the impression his enthusiasm for the Indian Ocean mission had been dampened by skeptical public opinion in Japan.

"There are quite a few people in Japan who doubt the effectiveness" of the refueling mission, he said. For nearly six years, it has supplied fuel to vessels from the United States, Pakistan and 10 other countries.

"Many of these people might be wondering where these operations are taking us. How many years is it going to be before the situation is settled?" he said.

Fukuda said that since his government is constrained by law in the deployment of military forces outside Japan, he would like to step up overseas involvement in other areas, including development assistance to poor countries and helping nations solve environmental problems.

Many people here think Japan's most pressing problem is domestic, not foreign -- a declining birthrate that is sapping population numbers. U.N. forecasts say the country's population of 127 million, which started to decline last year, could shrink by 25 million by 2050.

In the interview, Fukuda acknowledged the problem and said that a significant factor in Japan's low birthrate was a "traditional mentality" that penalizes working mothers. "In comparison with other countries, Japan is a society where it is more difficult to bear a child or raise a child," he said.

Fukuda's diagnosis of the issue was far more detailed than his prescription for what to do about it.

He declined to say whether his government planned any major child-care initiatives, such as have been implemented in France and other European countries, that would make it more psychologically and financially attractive for working women to have children.

"I think over time this problem of declining birthrate will improve gradually," he said.

Special correspondent Akiko Yamamoto contributed to this report.