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Ceremony held for Japan's 8th contingent of troops for Iraq

KUMAMOTO, Japan - Ground Self-Defense Force Maj. Hideyoshi Haraoka, a member of Japan's eighth GSDF contingent to be sent to Iraq for reconstruction assistance, smilingly watches as his family members talk to each other during a ceremony held at a garrison in the southwestern Japanese city of Kumamoto to deliver a unit flag to his unit on Oct. 22. The first batch of the 500-member contingent, mostly drawn from units in Kumamoto, Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefectures, is scheduled to leave for Iraq later in the day. (Kyodo)