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Japan ends five-year Iraq mission | Japan ends five-year Iraq mission |
(1 day later) | |
Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso has praised his country's five-year non-combat mission in Iraq, as the last planes flew out of the region. | Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso has praised his country's five-year non-combat mission in Iraq, as the last planes flew out of the region. |
He said he was "happy and proud that the personnel completed their jobs safely and without incident". | He said he was "happy and proud that the personnel completed their jobs safely and without incident". |
The deployment was Japan's first to a combat zone since World War II. It sparked considerable public opposition in the officially pacifist country. | The deployment was Japan's first to a combat zone since World War II. It sparked considerable public opposition in the officially pacifist country. |
South Korea is due to end its four-year mission in Iraq on Friday. | South Korea is due to end its four-year mission in Iraq on Friday. |
The last of the 18,000 South Korean troops that have served in Iraq and Kuwait since 2004 were withdrawing from their current base in the northern Iraqi city of Irbil. | The last of the 18,000 South Korean troops that have served in Iraq and Kuwait since 2004 were withdrawing from their current base in the northern Iraqi city of Irbil. |
Flying home | Flying home |
Mr Aso not only hailed the country's air force personnel but also their families for their support, calling them "two wheels of a cart", Kyodo news agency reports. | Mr Aso not only hailed the country's air force personnel but also their families for their support, calling them "two wheels of a cart", Kyodo news agency reports. |
FOREIGN TROOPS IN IRAQ US - Around 146,000Britain - 4,100Australia - 980Romania - 397El Salvador - 280Estonia - 34 Figures from AFP news agency | FOREIGN TROOPS IN IRAQ US - Around 146,000Britain - 4,100Australia - 980Romania - 397El Salvador - 280Estonia - 34 Figures from AFP news agency |
The last three C-130 freighter planes flew out of Kuwait for Japan late on Wednesday. The majority of the 210 air force staff will have returned home from Kuwait by next week. | The last three C-130 freighter planes flew out of Kuwait for Japan late on Wednesday. The majority of the 210 air force staff will have returned home from Kuwait by next week. |
Japan has been contributing to the Iraqi mission since February 2004, when former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi sent in ground troops to help with reconstruction projects. | Japan has been contributing to the Iraqi mission since February 2004, when former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi sent in ground troops to help with reconstruction projects. |
He withdrew the soldiers before leaving office in 2006. Members of Japan's air self-defence force have remained in Kuwait, flying goods and personnel into Iraq. | |
The presence of Japanese forces in Iraq has been controversial. | The presence of Japanese forces in Iraq has been controversial. |
Some members of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party argue that Japan should be more involved in global security efforts to help the country's standing on the world stage. | Some members of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party argue that Japan should be more involved in global security efforts to help the country's standing on the world stage. |
But critics fear it threatens the country's pacifist constitution, which was written after the country's defeat in 1945. | But critics fear it threatens the country's pacifist constitution, which was written after the country's defeat in 1945. |
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