Asahi Shimbun: On Japan's withdrawal from Iraq next year
Iraq-Japan, Politics, 11/11/2005

Concerning the foreign forces in Iraq, press sources in Japan said that Tokyo is studying puling out its forces from Iraq in the first half of 2006 and to complete the pullout by the fall of September of that year.

The Japanese daily Asahi Shimbun said that the withdrawal plan reflects the desire of the Japanese prime minister to end the presence of the Japanese forces by the end of his term of office as a leader for the ruling free democratic party in September 2006.

However, the Japanese defense minister said he did not take a decision to this effect and that Tokyo will settle its position on the ground of the situation in Iraq, after consultations with the other countries which have also forces there.

Poland announced it will keep units from its forces in Iraq to train the government forces after it had stressed earlier it will withdraw a force of 1400 soldiers with the end of a mission known by the UN forces in the country.

The same had done both Estonia, and Latvia who decided to extend the task of their two missions with the coalition forces for keeping peace for one year until the end of 2006. The decision of the two countries came after the UN Security Council on Tuesday extended coalition forces mission, led by the USA in Iraq.

Previous Stories:
  US general says Iraqi security forces making great progress   (11/8/2005)
  Al-Mutlaq threatens to boycott the elections   (11/7/2005)
  First attack on a convoy for the Japanese occupation forces   (6/24/2005)

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