Japan orders complete military withdrawal from Iraq (Roundup)

Nov 28, 2008, 6:25 GMT

   Tokyo - Japan on Friday ordered a complete withdrawal of its military from Iraq to start by the end of December.

   Japanese Defence Minister Yasukazu Hamada issued the order after Prime Minister Taro Aso and his cabinet agreed on the withdrawal.

   The government decided to remove its remaining personnel, who are involved in airlift assistance, because Iraq's political and security situation has improved, the Kyodo News Agency reported, citing government officials.

   A UN resolution authorizing the deployment of multinational forces in Iraq was also set to expire at the end of December.

   Japan's Air Self-Defence Force has been airlifting supplies and troops from an airbase in Kuwait to Iraq since March 2004.

   About 200 non-combat personnel have airlifted humanitarian supplies and goods for Japan's ground forces deployed in the southern Iraqi city of Samawah and the United Nations as well as airlifting troops and materials for Japan's international allies.

   Japan's Ground Self-Defence Force had already pulled out of Iraq in 2006, but the government has yet to decide whether to continue a Maritime Self-Defence Force refuelling mission that supports anti-terrorism operations in Afghanistan past its deadline in January.

   With its military pullout from Iraq, Japan's government is seeking to reinforce its reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan through the refuelling mission in the Indian Ocean, but the opposition Democratic Party of Japan, which holds a majority in the upper house of the Diet, has been blocking a bill to extend the mission.