Japan may send 1,200 troops, civilians to Iraq
( 2003-11-11 11:10) (Xinhua)
Japan is likely to send a total of about 1,200 troops and civilian staff to Iraq to help rebuild the country, the Asahi Shimbun newspaper reported Tuesday.
The dispatch will consist of about 700 troops from the Ground Self-Defense Force, 300 from the Maritime Self-Defense Force and 150 from the Air Self-Defense Force, as well as several dozen government employees and private-sector engineers, the daily said.
Their mission areas to be stated in Japan's basic plan to help Iraq's rehabilitation would include not only Samawah in the south but also Baghdad and Basra, it said.
The newspaper said the cabinet is expected to adopt the basic plan on Friday, but Kyodo News, the Mainichi Shimbun and the Yomiuri Shimbun reported Tuesday that the approval will be delayed.
According to Kyodo News, the Japanese government has decided to postpone the projected deployment in December of a Self-Defense Forces (SDF) advance team to southern Iraq until early next year due to security concern.
Japan was initially expected to decide Friday to dispatch SDF troops to Iraq despite the deteriorating security situation. But it is likely to postpone the decision unitl November 19, Kyodo said.
Under a law enacted in July authorizing the government to send SDF troops to help rebuild Iraq, Japan was preparing to send a 150- member Ground Self-Defense Force advance team to Iraq in December and a full contingent of 550 troops early next year to southern Iraqi city of Samawah.
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said at a press conference Monday night that his government recognizes the need for a careful examination of the security situation in the planned deployment area.
The Koizumi government is now confronted with the surging and confident main opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) which is opposed to sending SDF troops to Iraq but now supports such deployment only under the auspices of the United Nations.
The DPJ appears ready to take advantage of its big gains in Sunday's general election by pressing the Koizumi government on the SDF issue in upcoming parliamentary debate.
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