Japan to Pull Its Ground Troops Out of Iraq

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/20/world/asia/20cnd-japan.html

Japan to Pull Its Ground Troops Out of Iraq

By NORIMITSU ONISHI
Published: June 20, 2006

TOKYO, June 20 — Japan announced today that it would pull its ground troops out of Iraq, ending the country's most significant overseas deployment since World War II.

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said that the ground force's mission had been "fulfilled."

But Japanese air support to to American and multinational troops in Iraq will be expanded, Mr. Koizumi said in a news conference, and its Air Self Defense Force will start operating regular flights to Baghdad and Irbil.

"The Ground Self Defense Force has played a considerable role in providing humanitarian reconstruction assistance, and we have decided to withdraw," Mr. Koizumi said.

About 600 Japanese soldiers have been based in Samawa, the capital of the relatively peaceful southern Iraqi province of Muthana, since January 2004, repairing roads and buildings and providing clean water and medical assistance. Japan's pacifist constitution limits the soldiers to humanitarian and noncombat duties when outside Japan, so they have depended on British, Australian and Dutch forces for their security.

Mr. Koizumi's announcement came a day after the Iraqi government said that British troops would turn over responsibility for security in Muthana province to local Iraqi forces. The Japanese withdrawal is expected to take a few weeks.

More at link....

I think they've decided it's just getting to risky now. Maybe? :shrug:

Isn't Murthana(sp?) where the three 'detainee's' were allegedly murdered by three US soldiers?