supporting Afghan operations TOKYO, Oct , SPA -- Japan will inform the U.S. and U.K. withindays that it will withdraw on Nov. 1 its naval refuelingmission that supports U.S.-led operations in Afghanistan, AP quoted anews report as saying Sunday. Japan will tell the American and United Kingdom militariesthat Japanese tankers will stop all refueling when aspecial anti-terrorism law authorizing the mission expireson Nov. 1, according to a report in the Nikkei, Japan'slargest business daily newspaper. Defense officials were not immediately available forcomment on the report. --SPA www.spa.gov.sa/488508