Related: Japanese PM Reiterates Necessity to Resume Refueling Mission

Japanese Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba issued a command Thursday afternoon to withdraw the Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF), which has been undertaking the refueling mission for the U.S.-led military operation in and around Afghanistan, from the Indian Ocean.

According to Japan's major NHK TV station, the MSDF supply ship Tokiwa and destroyer Kirisame will set out their journey back home on Thursday midnight of Japanese time (07:00 p.m. local time) following the defense minister's command at 03:00 p.m..

Ishiba's command by telegraph was first issued to the MSDF's warship vessels headquarters which is located in Kanagawa Prefecture south of Tokyo, and the headquarters then delivered the order to the fleet in the Indian Ocean, Jiji Press said, adding that the two ships are to arrive at their bases in Japan in three weeks.

The issuance of the order is in accordance with the expiration of the special antiterrorism measures law.

The departure of the MSDF vessels marked the end or suspension of the Japanese armed forces' first post-war overseas mission, which started in December 2001.

According to Japan's official statistics, the MSDF has provided more than 484,000 kiloliters of oil to vessels from 11 countries in 794 missions.

Although the Japanese government submitted to the Diet on Nov. 17 a new bill to replace the expiring special antiterrorism law, the MSDF's refueling mission is unlikely to be resumed as the opposition camp, which controls the Upper House of the Diet, strongly opposes the bill and refuses to compromise on the matter.

Japanese political affairs analysts said it is hard for the makeshift bill to be enacted during the current Diet session through Nov. 10.

The Japanese parliament passed the original special antiterrorism law in Oct. 2001, one month after the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States. The Japanese government's subsequent dispatch of the MSDF into overseas mission under the law was the first of its kind after WWII, marking a milestone-like transition in Japan's defense policy. The law was extended for two years in 2003 and was extended for one year in 2005 and 2006 respectively.