http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/news...IRAQ-JAPAN.xml

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan may begin withdrawing its noncombat troops from southern Iraq as early as next month, winding down the country's riskiest mission since World War Two, a newspaper reported on Saturday.
No formal decision had been made on when to bring the roughly 600 troops home from the southern city of Samawa, where they have been engaged in reconstruction work. But some officials had said the unstable situation in Iraq might delay the withdrawal to as late as autumn.
Government sources quoted by the Yomiuri Shimbun daily said the Japanese government has begun making arrangements with the governments of Britain and Australia, aiming at a decision on the withdrawal as early as next month.
The withdrawal could begin soon after, and finish as early as the end of July, they added.


A Defence Ministry spokesman said he was not aware that there had been any change in Japan's plans for its troops.
Tokyo has long said its withdrawal from the southern city of Samawa would have to be co-ordinated with the British and Australian governments, whose troops have been providing security for Japanese personnel since their activities are limited by Japan's pacifist constitution.
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has repeatedly said that Japan would have to carefully consider the situation in Iraq before deciding on a troop pullout.
Some media reports said the government had wanted to withdraw the troops by the end of May, but the unstable situation in Iraq appears to have delayed that.
But with a national unity government due to be inaugurated later on Saturday, chances have grown that some of the tasks undertaken by foreign troops in Iraq may shift to the national government as early as June, the Yomiuri said.
Japan's depatch of troops to Iraq from January 2004 has won praise from Washington but is opposed by a majority of voters.

Japan has troops there? When was this, i thought they could only operate a self defense force under their current constitution. What, are they allowed liberties with that law if it's just a battalion?

Japan has troops there? When was this, i thought they could only operate a self defense force under their current constitution. What, are they allowed liberties with that law if it's just a battalion?

The troops are engineers, and they are rebuilding. They are being protected by Australian troops at the moment. As another point of note, the Australians are staying no after the Japanese leave. Our work is not done.

Warmachine... take a gander...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,1006180,00.html

http://ias.berkeley.edu/orias/2004/JapanSecurity.htm

Since 1992, the SDF has been dispatched to Golan Heights, Rwanda, Cambodia, and East Timor. The political promise made by the LDP in 1992 was that the SDF would be sent only to places where troops would "shed sweat, not blood".