A team of Japanese soldiers left for Iraq yesterday as police, on the alert for terrorist attacks, tightened security ahead of what may become Japan's riskiest overseas military mission since World War II.
After a series of send-off ceremonies in Tokyo, about 30 members of the Ground Self Defense Force, as Japan's army is called, left for southeastern Iraq, an advance unit of a force that could include up to 1,000 troops.
The dispatch marks a historic shift away from Japan's purely defensive postwar security policy and poses a big political risk for Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.
"You're the pride of the Japanese people, the pride of the nation. I hope that you will complete your mission safely," Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba, at times appearing almost overcome by emotion, told 180 soldiers -- including those leaving yesterday and others to join them later -- in attendance with about 100 relatives and top military brass.
Children's voices sometimes drowned out Ishiba's words. Most family members appeared cheerful, chatting and snapping pictures of the soldiers with their camera-phones before the ceremony.
A few demonstrators passed out leaflets near the defense ministry criticizing the dispatch.
Police vehicles kept them apart from a small group of right-wing activists who were shouting: "Japanese troops, do your best."
Critics say sending the troops violates Japan's pacifist constitution. Opinion polls have shown that the public is largely against sending the troops now and Koizumi's government could face a backlash if there are casualties.
The public was shocked when two Japanese diplomats were gunned down in northern Iraq late last year.
"Public opinion is divided for and against the dispatch to Iraq. But the dispatch is not to take part in war, the use of force, or combat," Koizumi told a meeting of his Liberal Democratic Party.
"Japan cannot ensure its security and peace on its own," he said. "It is not necessary to shed blood, but it is Japan's responsibility as a member of international society to sweat, to cooperate with funds and to make a human contribution."
The troops are expected to arrive in Kuwait today and travel overland later in the month to the city of Samawa in southern Iraq, where they will engage in humanitarian and reconstruction operations, Japanese media said.
The main body of around 600 ground troops will probably set off from late January.
A Russian charter plane also left Hokkaido in northern Japan yesterday for Kuwait carrying eight light armored vehicles.
Security was tight in Tokyo after media reports late last year that al-Qaeda had warned Japan it would attack the heart of the capital as soon as Japanese troops set foot in Iraq.
Police patrols were also stepped up at government offices, nuclear power plants, railway stations and airports, where officers walked around with sniffer dogs.
Also see story:
ONE LAST TALK: While Xi said that Taiwan was a ‘red line,’ Biden, in what is likely his last meeting with Xi as president, called for an end to China’s military activity around Taiwan China’s military intimidation and economic coercion against Taiwan are the main causes of tensions that are destabilizing peace in the Taiwan Strait, Taipei said yesterday while thanking US President Joe Biden for expressing Washington’s firm stance of maintaining peace and stability in the region. Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) met on Saturday for their third meeting and their first talks in seven months on the sidelines of the APEC forum in Lima, Peru. It was likely Biden’s last meeting as president with Xi. During their conversation, Biden reiterated the US’ opposition to any unilateral change to the “status quo” from either
Taiwan would participate in the 2026 APEC summit to be hosted by China after Beijing promised it would ensure the personal safety of attendees, Taiwanese national security sources said yesterday. The APEC Leaders’ Machu Picchu Declaration announced yesterday said that China would host the APEC summit in 2026. Beijing proposed hosting the summit shortly before this year’s gathering began on Friday, a national security official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Many APEC members expressed concerns about China hosting the event and said that prior communication over the decision was insufficient, the official said. Taiwan brought up concerns about legal “guidelines” China announced in
SUPPORT: Arms sales to NATO Plus countries such as Japan, South Korea and Israel only have to be approved by the US Congress if they exceed US$25m The US should amend a law to add Taiwan to the list of “NATO Plus” allies and streamline future arms sales, a US commission said on Tuesday in its annual report to the US Congress. The recommendation was made in the annual report by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC), which contained chapters on US-China economic and trade ties, security relations, and Taiwan and Hong Kong. In the chapter on Taiwan, the commission urged the US Congress to “amend the Arms Export Control Act of 1976 to include Taiwan on the list of ‘NATO Plus’ recipients,” referring to
MEET AND GREET: The White House, which called the interaction ‘just a handshake,’ did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether Biden planned to visit Taiwan’s envoy to the APEC summit, Lin Hsin-i (林信義), on Friday invited US President Joe Biden to visit Taiwan. During the APEC Leaders’ Informal Dialogue, Lin, who represented President William Lai (賴清德) at the summit, spoke with Biden and expressed gratitude to the outgoing US president for his contribution to improving bilateral ties between Taipei and Washington over the past four years, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. Lin and Biden exchanged views during the conversation, with Lin extending an invitation to Biden to visit Taiwan, it said. Biden is to step down in January next year, when US president-elect Donald Trump is
RSS