WASHINGTON Ñ Japan is considering a U.S. request to send troops to the Persian Gulf region as part of the war in Afghanistan.

Diplomatic sources said Japanese troops and warships would be dispatched to Bahrain and bolster the U.S. Fifth Fleet. Manama is the headquarters of the U.S. fleet.

The Japanese role, the sources said, would bring fuel and other supplies to U.S. ships. Tokyo has agreed to help Washington in the war against Saudi fugitive Osama Bin Laden and his allies.

In September, Japanese warships toured the Gulf in a mission unrelated to Bin Laden. Tokyo has sought to increase its defense ties with the Gulf Cooperation Council states.

The Japanese government has drafted a plan for a deployment of troops overseas. The details, however, have not been completed.

Already, three Canadian warships have left the Suez Canal for the Indian Ocean as part of the Western campaign in Afghanistan. The three comprise a supply ship, destroyer and frigate. Canada has committed to providing six warships and six transport and surveillance aircraft.

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