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Japan 'ends Iraq supply mission' Japan 'ends Iraq supply mission'
(10 minutes later)
Japan will withdraw the troops it had based in the Middle East in support of the US-led coalition, Japan's Kyodo News said, citing government sources. Japan will withdraw the troops it had based in the Middle East in support of the US-led coalition.
Agence France-Presse reported that Japan's Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura confirmed the decision. Government officials said that some 200 air force troops would be brought home from Kuwait by the end of the year.
It is not known when the mission of about 200 air troops flying goods and personnel into Iraq will end. They have been deployed to fly goods and personnel into Iraq since Japan withdrew its ground forces from the country two years ago.
Japan's non-combat troops, based in neighbouring Kuwait, have been supporting US forces in Iraq. Japan's pacifist constitution blocks military operations, but humanitarian troops served for two years.
Japan's pacifist constitution has blocked involvement in military operations, but a first ground deployment from 2004 to 2006 involved humanitarian troops, and this supple mission began in 2006 despite opposition disapproval. After the ground deployment from 2004 to 2006, the current supply mission began, despite opposition disapproval.
It is not yet clear when the mission will end, but some reports suggested the end of this year. The opposition Democratic Party, which strongly opposes Japan's military mission, has been gaining ground on the government amid growing calls for a general election in the aftermath of the resignation of the Prime Minister, Yasuo Fukuda.
US President George W Bush said on Wednesday that most of the international forces in Iraq were preparing to pull out as the US begins to withdraw some of its own units.