U.S. OFFICIAL: Japan Still Seen to Send Troops to Iraq This Year

Sunday, November 16, 2003

(3:42 PM)

l'Agence France-Presse (AFP)

Ishiba, however, said the timing of a deployment of Japanese troops would depend on the situation as the government on Saturday sent a team of 10 officials to Iraq to investigate the security situation whose findings will be a key factor.

CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa, Japan -- AFP
Japan is still expected to send troops to Iraq this year despite its recent cautiousness over the deployment, US Ambassador to Japan Howard Baker said Sunday.

"My understanding is that the original announcement that they plan to send the Japanese Self-Defence Forces still stands," Baker told reporters as he accompanied US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld on a visit to US bases in the Japanese island.

"They still plan to do that, but what they backed off is a firm date for doing that," Baker said.

(More: ChannelNewsAsia.com / Asia Pacific News)

2003 © l'Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Dan