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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, March 26, 2003

US Asks Japan to Send SDF to Postwar Iraq

U.S. Ambassador to Japan Howard Baker asked Japan to send its Self Defense Forces (SDF) to postwar Iraq to help maintain public order during talks with the secretaries general of Japan's three ruling parties on Monday, two major Japanese newspapers reported Wednesday.


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U.S. Ambassador to Japan Howard Baker asked Japan to send its Self Defense Forces (SDF) to postwar Iraq to help maintain public order during talks with the secretaries general of Japan's three ruling parties on Monday, two major Japanese newspapers reported Wednesday.

Taku Yamasaki, secretary general of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, said during the talks that Japan will have to formulate a new law to send the SDF to postwar Iraq and that the legislation would require a new U.N. Security Council resolution, the Asahi Shimbun and the Mainichi Shimbun said.

According to the Asahi report, Baker made the remarks during a breakfast meeting at his official residence in Tokyo.

Baker suggested that Japan should draft a Security Council resolution on setting up forces and organizations to govern a postwar Iraq, the Asahi reported, quoting Japanese sources.

He said a resolution drafted by Japan would face less opposition from France and Germany, which both oppose the war, the paper said.

Baker also said Japan should make efforts to help improve the strained relations between the United States and many Arab countries which have deteriorated since the war began last week, according to the Asahi.

Japan needs to enact a new law to enable the dispatch because it is impossible under the 1992 law governing the SDF participation in U.N. peacekeeping operations, which places conditions on any dispatch, including requiring a cease-fire and consent for the dispatch from the countries involved.

Source: Agencies




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