A DECISION TO RETURN (INOP RADAR) WAS REVERSED AFTER FUEL DUMPING. THE FLC CONTINUED; IN CONFLICT WITH FLT OPS MANUAL AND MEL; AND REQUIRED PRIORITY HANDLING (MINIMUM FUEL) AT DEST.

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WE WERE DISPATCHED TO RJAA WITH 1 OPERATING RADAR SYS. THAT SYS FAILED AFTER ENTERING THE NOPAC RTE R220. A REVIEW OF OUR COMPANY FLT OPS MANUAL; MEL AND FAR 121.357 WAS UNDERSTOOD BY THE CREW TO DICTATE A RETURN TO ANC WHICH WAS ONLY 50 MINS BACK. THE COMPANY WAS CONTACTED VIA ARINC FOR INSTRUCTIONS. THE INITIAL RESPONSE WAS TO RETURN TO ANC. A 180 DEG TURN WAS REQUESTED FOR POSSIBLE RETURN AND FUEL DUMP. ATC APPROVED BOTH AND THE DUMPING WAS BEGUN. APPROX 1 1/2 MINS AFTER STARTING THE FUEL DUMP; WE RECEIVED AN ACARS MESSAGE THAT WE WERE LEGAL TO CONTINUE TO RJAA. THE DUMP WAS SECURED AND A NEW RELEASE WAS REQUESTED. WE CONTINUED TO RJAA UNEVENTFULLY; BUT BLOCKED IN WITH 13200 LBS OF FUEL REMAINING. BECAUSE OF FUEL SIT; WE REQUESTED PRIORITY HANDLING UPON ARR; IE; NO DELAYS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE FO INDICATES THAT HE ADVOCATED RETURNING TO ANC; BUT COMPLIED WITH CAPT'S DECISION TO FOLLOW A FLT MGR'S ACARS MESSAGE TO CONTINUE. RPTR BELIEVES THAT THE DIFFERENCE OF OPINIONS REGARDING THIS SIT; STEM FROM A DIFFERENCE IN CORPORATE CULTURES. THE FO STATES THAT HE HAS CONSIDERABLE EXPERIENCE WITH A COMPANY THAT OPERATED IN THE NOPAC. AS A RESULT; FO HELD A STRONG POS REGARDING EQUIP REQUIREMENTS AND FUEL AND WX CONSIDERATIONS. WINDS WERE HIGHER THAN FORECAST; AND UPON ARR AT NARITA; HOLDING WAS IN PROGRESS. THE FLC REQUESTED PRIORITY HANDLING DUE TO THE CRITICAL FUEL SIT IN THE MD- 11. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 301509: APPROX 7000 LBS DUMPED. FURTHER COM FROM COMPANY STATED 'LEGAL TO CONTINUE TO DEST.' FLT THEN OBTAINED FLT RELEASE AND ATC CLRNC TO ORIGINAL DEST RJAA (NARITA; JAPAN).