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Japan ground troop for Iraq mission arrives in Kuwait

PLA Daily 2004-02-05

TOKYO, Feb. 4 (Xinhuanet) -- The first main group of Japan's core Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) for Iraq's reconstruction efforts arrived in Kuwait on a government jet Wednesday, Kyodo News reported.

The 90 GSDF members are to stay at the US Army's Camp Virginia in western Kuwait for preparatory work, before moving overland to the southern Iraqi city of Samawah, where an advance team of about30 GSDF troops is already deployed.

According to Kyodo, the main unit may enter Iraq on Saturday.

Japan plans to deploy a total of about 550 GSDF troops to Samawah to begin providing water, medical aid and help in repairing public facilities there and in nearby areas in April. The rest of the core GSDF contingent will be dispatched later this month and in March.

Unlike the advance team, which Dutch troops escorted from Kuwait to Samawah on Jan. 19, the 90 GSDF troops will move unescorted through Iraq in a convoy of about 50 armored vehicles and trucks, carrying such heavy arms as antitank weapons, Kyodo said.

A third of the GSDF group will be in charge of security. The rest will mainly work to set up a camp and other facilities for the 550-strong GSDF contingent. Personnel for medical and sanitation services are also included in the first group.

Despite public opposition, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi gave the final approval on Jan. 26 for the deployment of the GSDF troops for Japan's humanitarian and reconstruction operations which involve more than 1,000 ground, air and maritime personnel.