Japan may extend its deployment of troops in southern Iraq if the security situation in the country does not change, a top government official said yesterday.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroyuki Hosoda said, however, that the government has made no final decision yet.
"If the situation remains the way it is now, I think it's necessary for Japan to continue to get actively involved," said Hosoda. When asked if an extension was possible, Hosoda said, "Yes."
Some 500 Japanese troops on a non-combat, humanitarian mission in the Iraqi city of Samawah are slated to come home in December this year. Another 500 are based in neighboring Gulf states providing support.
The Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported yesterday that the Cabinet was expected to approve an extension of about one year before December, and that foreign ministry and defense officials have already notified Washington.
A Defense Agency spokeswoman declined to comment on the report.
The mission has faced strong opposition at home, where many fear the troops could get drawn into fighting in violation of Japan's pacifist constitution.
Critics have also charged that Japan's high-profile support of the US makes it an increasingly likely target of terrorism.
Hosoda said the government would keep a close watch on the terrorism problem and changes involving the new government in Iraq in making its final decision.
"We will to decide after evaluating the overall situation, including Iraq's reconstruction and security situation," he said.
NHK public broadcaster reported that Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi asked Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to keep Japanese troops in Iraq, when the two leaders met in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session.
Koizumi, emphasizing the need for stability in Iraq, responded that Japan intended to continue doing its utmost for the country's reconstruction, NHK said.
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