Japan extends air force support in Iraq

Tokyo, Dec 8: Japan decided today its air force will keeptransporting supplies to US-led troops in Iraq until next July.

Japan sent about 600 ground troops to southern Iraq in 2004 toprovide reconstruction and humanitarian aid as part of its largest andriskiest overseas mission since World War Two.

The soldiers all returned home in late July, but some 200 Japaneseair force personnel based in Kuwait are still transporting supplies tothe US-led coalition in Iraq.

The cabinet approved a plan for the air force to continue theseactivities until the end of July next year, when the law passed in 2003to enable their mission expires, Chief Cabinet Secretary YasuhisaShiozaki told a news conference.

Domestic media said the government is also considering submittinga bill in a parliament session starting in January to revise that lawto extend the air force's mission beyond July.

But Defence Minister Fumio Kyuma said nothing had been decided.''It will depend on conditions at the time, whether the United Nationsstrongly seeks our support and what the situation is in Iraq then,'' hetold reporters.

Reuters