Japan mulls Afghan role after dropping naval mission

Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama is keen to offer agricultural aid and other assistance aimed at stabilising the economic and social situation in the violence-torn nation, the Yomiuri Shimbun said.

Hatoyama took office on Wednesday after his centre-left Democratic Party of Japan scored a massive election victory, ousting the conservative Liberal Democratic Party.

Hatoyama, who formed a coalition with two smaller parties, campaigned on a promise of sweeping change, including stopping Japan's Indian Ocean mission providing fuel to US-led forces operating in Afghanistan.

Washington has asked Japan to propose alternatives to the mission by November, when President Barack Obama visits Japan, the Yomiuri said, citing unnamed sources.

Tokyo is mulling non-military assistance, the newspaper said.