Japanese advance guard keep low profile in Iraq

[NNN0LHI]

They are all wearing a pair of these

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20031119/wl_mideast_afp/iraq_japan_soldiers&cid=1514&ncid=1473

SAMAWA, Iraq (AFP) - A dozen Japanese on an exploratory mission in southern Iraq were trying to keep a low profile as their government wrestles with the sensitive question of a military deployment in the war zone.

"Nothing, nothing to say," said a man in military uniform identified only as "lieutenant colonel Fukuda".

"No photo, no photo, nothing in the press, no name," he said Wednesday.

The Japanese contingent arrived Tuesday at camp Smitty in the suburbs of Samawa, 270 kilometres (165 miles) southeast of Baghdad, where they are guests of a Dutch force with the US-led coalition, said Dutch captain Ruddy Van Beckhoven.

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1. "We're actually not here at all," they said.

"We're just a figment of your over-active imagination. In fact, as soon as you think about something else we'll disappear. Look, there's J-Lo!"