iraq_war2

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Ruling parties avoid discussing Self-Defense Forces deployment in Iraq

The ruling Liberal Democratic and Komei parties in their general election campaigns never discussed what to do with the Japanese troops stationed in Iraq after its term expires in December, but preparations for an extension of their mission are already underway .

Asked whether the government is considering a pullout of the Self-Defense Forces from Iraq during a debate on an NHK program aired on September 4, Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro said, "We will study all aspects of the question."

Although the LDP's "manifesto" has no reference to the issue of the SDF in Iraq, GSDF Chief of Staff Mori Tsutomu on September 8 stated, "On August 8, I issued a directive to the Eastern Corps concerning preparation for a dispatch, in compliance with a Defense Agency director general order."

It is reported that the deployment plan for the next six months has been completed.

With security rapidly disappearing in the whole of Iraq, the Japanese GSDF unit in Samawah has been attacked ten times, making the Japanese government explanation that "Samawah is not a combat zone" totally groundless.

Japan has spent 64.8 billion yen (about 580 million US dollars) on the SDF dispatches. -- Akahata, September 9, 2005