Top �� What's up around the Prime Minister �� February, 2004

Prime Minister Koizumi Encourages Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) to be Dispatched to Iraq Sunday, February 1, 2004 Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi visited the Asahikawa Station of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) in Asahikawa City, Hokkaido to attend the ceremony to bestow the force flag to the unit of the JGSDF to be dispatched to Iraq for humanitarian and reconstruction assistance activities. The unit to be dispatched will first attend to setting up their quarters in As-Samawah, in southern Iraq. Then the unit will begin full-scale humanitarian and reconstruction assistance activities such as purification and supplying of water, medical services, reconstruction and maintenance of public facilities, and transportation of supplies. Prime Minister Koizumi encouraged the members to be dispatched by saying, "The international community and the United Nations are requesting the cooperation of all its member countries in the humanitarian and reconstruction assistance to Iraq. Although there are arguments for and against the issue of sending the SDF, I believe that many of the people of Japan support to dispatch the members with a sense of respect and appreciation. I strongly wish that you would respectably complete your mission in Iraq and have a safe return."