Japan ends Indian Ocean mission

TOKYO, Japan (CNN) -- Japan ordered its mission in support of the U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan, after the government failed to reach an agreement with parliament to extend it.

"It is very regrettable and sad to see Naval Self-Defense Forces stop the mission," Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba said. "I feel a grave responsibility as the representative of the Defense Ministry."

In the aftermath, government officials vowed to strike a deal to resume the mission.

"The government would like to make the utmost effort to pass a new law and resume the important mission in the Indian Ocean as soon as possible," said Chief Cabinet spokesman Nobutaka Machimura.

Since 2001, Japan has been refueling coalition warships taking part in interdiction operations against terrorists in the Indian Ocean.

The two ships in the mission -- a destroyer and a refueler, with 340 troops aboard -- would begin heading for Japan later Thursday, The Associated Press reported. It was expected to take them about three weeks to return, said Navy spokesman Kozo Okuda.

The failure by Japan's government to extend the mission was seen as a major blow for Fukuda, AP reported. E-mail to a friend

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