Report: Japan to Withdraw Iraq Deployment
By CARL FREIRE, Associated Press Writer
1 hour, 14 minutes ago
TOKYO - Japan will withdraw its non-combat troops deployed in southern Iraq at the same time that British and Australian troops are pulled out, a news report said Tuesday.
Defense Agency Director General Fukushiro Nukaga told the U.S. officially for the first time Monday in Washington of the terms under which Japan plans to pull out the 600 troops it has stationed in the town of Samawah on a humanitarian mission, Kyodo News agency reported. The Japanese government has said in the past that it would consult with Britain and Australia before making any decisions to withdraw troops from Iraq and would take into consideration the political and security situation there.
A Defense Ministry spokeswoman told The Associated Press said in response to the Kyodo report that the policy had not changed. She spoke on condition of anonymity according to department policy.
Speaking at a meeting of senior U.S. and Japanese defense and foreign ministry officials, Nukaga also said Japan plans to keep the C-130 transport aircraft it has stationed in Kuwait for airlifting supplies in the region after the withdrawal, Kyodo said.
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http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060502/ap_on_re_as/japan_iraq_1Denmark may pull 100 soldiers out of Iraq: media
Mon May 1, 11:45 AM ET
COPENHAGEN (AFP) - Denmark may pull 100 soldiers out of Iraq -- a fifth of its total contingent -- during the second half of this year, according to a government report to be published on May 10.
"The report will be published on the 10th of May but no announcement will be made before then" as to the number of soldiers, a civil servant at the foreign affairs ministry, who did not wish to be named, told AFP on Monday.
The document is not yet finished, and must be submitted to parliament for approval, according to the state television station TV2.
"There will be two procedures in the parliament before the final vote later in May probably," AFP's foreign ministry source confirmed.
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http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060501/wl_mideast_afp/iraqdenmarkpolitics_060501154530