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GSDF troops in Iraq start packing to return to Japan

TOKYO, Japan - Toshihiro Yamanaka, head of Japan's 10th Ground Self-Defense Force providing noncombat assistance in southern Iraq, speaks in a televised press conference at the Defense Agency on June 21. He said his troops in southern Iraqi city of Samawah have started packing equipment and other goods in containers following the withdrawal order.

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Australia completes deployment of 450 troops to Samawah

SAMAWAH, Iraq - Geoff Ledger, commander of the Australian Forces in the Middle East Area of Operations, speaks to reporters in Samawah, southern Iraq, on May 17 after Australia completed the deployment of its 450 troops to the city, where Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force troops are stationed for noncombat activities.

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(1)Iraq issue discussed in Diet

TOKYO, Japan - Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said in a Diet committee session that the southern Iraqi city of Samawah, where Japanese Self-Defense Forces troops are carrying out reconstruction work, is not a combat zone. ''Noncombat zone'' constitutes the legal basis for the dispatch of the troops to Iraq.

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(9)Militant group takes 3 Japanese hostage

TOKYO, Japan - Activists march to the prime minister's office in Tokyo April 9 to demand the withdrawal of Japan's noncombat troops from Iraq after an armed group took three Japanese civilians hostage in Iraq.

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Japanese troops in Iraq to suspend operations outside camp

SAMAWAH, Iraq - Photo shows a scene in the southern Iraqi city of Samawah on April 6, where Japanese noncombat troops are stationed to help Iraqi reconstruction. Japan decided the same day to suspend the activities of the Japanese troops outside their camp in the city in the wake of growing security concerns following clashes elsewhere in Iraq.

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(1)Japan donates stationery to Iraqi school

KHIDR, Iraq - Col. Koichiro Bansho (C), commander of Japanese noncombat troops in the southern Iraqi city of Samawah, puts a folded-paper hat on a child's head as he visits an elementary school in the neighboring city of Khidr on March 18 to donate stationery to pupils.

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(5)Japan donates stationery to Iraqi school

KHIDR, Iraq - Pupils at an elementary school in the southern Iraqi city of Khidr are given folding paper by Japan on March 18 while Japanese noncombat troops keep watch (back). Col. Koichiro Bansho, commander of Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force troops stationed in the southern Iraqi city of Samawah, visited Khidr to donate stationery to pupils.

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(3)Japan donates stationery to Iraqi school

KHIDR, Iraq - Iraqi police stand guard around an elementary school in the southern Iraqi city of Khidr on March 18 where Col. Koichiro Bansho, commander of Japanese noncombat troops stationed in Samawah, southern Iraq, visited to donate stationery to pupils.

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(4)Japan donates stationery to Iraqi school

KHIDR, Iraq - Pupils at an elementary school in the southern Iraqi city of Khidr look at a Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force member folding paper as Japanese noncombat troops stationed in the Samawah, southern Iraq, visited Khidr to donate stationery to pupils.

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(2)Japan donates stationery to Iraqi school

KHIDR, Iraq - Col. Koichiro Bansho (R), commander of Japanese noncombat troops in the southern Iraqi city of Samawah, visits an elementary school in the neighboring city of Khidr on March 18 to donate stationery to pupils.

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Commander Bansho meets the press

SAMAWAH, Iraq - Col. Koichiro Bansho, commander of the Japanese Ground Self-Defense noncombat troops stationed in the southern Iraqi city of Samawah, speaks at a news conference at the camp of the troops on March 17.

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Japan gives medical equipment to Iraqi hospital

SAMAWAH, Iraq - Col. Koichiro Bansho (2nd from L), chief of Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force (GDSF) noncombat unit stationed in Samawah shakes hands with a Muthana provincial government official on March 14 after delivered 36 million yen worth of medical equipment to a maternity hospital in the city as part of Japan's aid-in-grant program to Iraq.

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Civic groups protest Japan's troop dispatch

NAGOYA, Japan - Members of civic groups in Nagoya line to form characters (No to troop dispatch) on March 14 to protest Japan's dispatch of noncombat ground troops to Iraq.

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Japanese troops help Iraqi people in water supply

SAMAWAH, Iraq - Members of the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) noncombat unit stationed in Samawah instruct local people how to operate a water wagon on March 10.

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Japan's GSDF members in Samawah

SAMAWAH, Iraq - Members of Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) salute the Japanese and Iraqi national flags at their temporary camp in Samawah, southern Iraq, on Feb. 28, a day after a core unit of GSDF noncombat troops arrived here from Kuwait.

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Japanese core troop unit arrives in Samawah

SAMAWAH, Iraq - Col. Koichiro Bansho (R), head of a core unit of Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) noncombat troops, shakes hands with Col. Masahisa Sato, head of an advance team of group troops, on arrival in the southern Iraqi city of Samawah from Kuwait on Feb. 27.

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(2)Japanese core troop unit arrives in Samawah

SAMAWAH, Iraq - Col. Koichiro Bansho leads a core unit of Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force noncombat troops as they arrive at their temporary camp in the southern Iraqi city of Samawah from Kuwait on Feb. 27.

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(3)Key ground troop unit leaves for Iraq

CHITOSE, Japan - People opposed to Japan's dispatch of noncombat troops to Iraq stage a demonstration parade in the city of Chitose, Hoikkaido, on Feb. 21, as a core unit of Ground Self-Defense Force troops left for Kuwait en route to Samawah, southern Iraq.

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(6)Scenes in southern Iraqi city of Samawah

SAMAWAH, Iraq - Iraqi citizens wave at armored vehicles carrying Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force noncombat troops in the southern Iraqi city of Samawah.

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(3)Scenes in southern Iraqi city of Samawah

SAMAWAH, Iraq - Two armored vehicles carrying Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force noncombat troops drive past a morning sheep market in the southern Iraqi city of Samawah.

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(2)Oosumi loaded with Iraqi-bound equipment

MURORAN, Japan - Light armored vehicles and other equipment for use by Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) noncombat troops deployed in Iraq are loaded onto the Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) transport ship Oosumi at Muroran port in Hokkaido on Feb. 18.

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(1)Oosumi loaded with Iraqi-bound equipment

MURORAN, Japan - Light armored vehicles and other equipment for use by Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) noncombat troops stationed in Iraq are loaded onto the Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) transport ship Oosumi at Muroran port in Hokkaido on Feb. 18.

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(2)MSDF destroyer leaves home port before heading to Kuwait

YOKOSUKA, Japan - The Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer Murasame cruises off Yokosuka in Kanagawa Prefecture on Feb. 16 after leaving Yokosuka port for Hokkaido on its way to Kuwait to escort the MSDF amphibious ship Oosumi, which is to transport supplies to Japanese noncombat ground troops in Iraq.

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(1)MSDF destroyer leaves home port before heading to Kuwait

YOKOSUKA, Japan - Members boarding the Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer Murasame line up beside the vessel at Yokosuka port in Kanagawa Prefecture on Feb. 16. The ship left the port for Hokkaido on its way to Kuwait to escort the MSDF amphibious ship Oosumi, which is to transport supplies to Japanese noncombat ground troops in Iraq.

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GSDF's lodging site in Samawah being built

SAMAWAH, Iraq - Tractors on Feb. 10 level the site where a camp will be built for Japanese noncombat troops outside the southern Iraqi city of Samawah. The will stay there during their humanitarian mission to the country.

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(1)Recent scenes of Iraq's Samawah

SAMAWAH, Iraq - A street in Samawah, Iraq, is jammed with traffic throughout the day. Japanese noncombat troops are preparing for humanitarian and reconstruction aid activities in and around the city.

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(3)Colors handed to head of GSDF core unit

ASAHIKAWA, Japan - Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi arrives at the Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) garrison in Asahikawa, central Hokkaido, on Feb. 1 to attend a ceremony to give the colors to a core unit of some 550 GSDF noncombat troops to be sent to Iraq.

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(1)Lower house OKs SDF dispatch

TOKYO, Japan - Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi (C in top row) stands up with other members of his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) at a House of Representatives plenary session called in the small hours of Jan. 31 in support of his government's decision to dispatch Self-Defense Forces (SDF) noncombat troops to Iraq.

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(2)Lower house OKs SDF dispatch

TOKYO, Japan - Koichi Kato, former secretary general of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), is surrounded by reporters in the Diet building early Jan. 31 after refusing to follow the LDP policy to vote in favor of the dispatch of Self-Defense Forces (SDF) noncombat troops to Iraq.

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(1)Send-off party held for GSDF troops

NAYORO, Japan - Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) noncombat troops to be dispatched to Iraq parade in the central Hokkaido city of Nayoro during a send-off party held for them on Jan. 31.

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(2)Send-off party held for GSDF troops

NAYORO, Japan - Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) noncombat troops to be dispatched to Iraq salute to their colleagues during a parade in the central Hokkaido city of Nayoro during a send-off party held for them on Jan. 31.

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(4)Colors handed to head of GSDF core unit

ASAHIKAWA, Japan - Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi addresses a core unit of some 550 Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) noncombat troops to be sent to Iraq during a ceremony to present the colors to the unit held at the GSDF garrison in Asahikawa, central Hokkaido, on Feb. 1. ''I pray that all of you will return home unhurt,'' Koizumi said. (Pool photo)

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(5)Colors handed to head of GSDF core unit

ASAHIKAWA, Japan - Defense Agency Director General Shigeru Ishiba (C) hands the colors to Col. Koichiro Bansho, head of the core unit of the Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) noncombat troops to be sent to Iraq, in a ceremony at the GSDF garrison in Asahikawa, central Hokkaido, on Feb. 1, as Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi (seated to the left) watches. (Pool photo)

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(5)Colors handed to head of GSDF core unit

ASAHIKAWA, Japan - Defense Agency Director General Shigeru Ishiba (C) hands the colors to Col. Koichiro Bansho, head of the core unit of the Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) noncombat troops to be sent to Iraq, in a ceremony at the GSDF garrison in Asahikawa, central Hokkaido, on Feb. 1, as Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi (seated to the left) watches. (Pool photo)

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Defense chief speaks on decision on GSDF core unit

TOKYO, Japan - As Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi listens behind, Defense Agency Director General Shigeru Ishiba speaks in the House of Representatives on Jan. 27 on the government decision to send the core unit of Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) noncombat troops to Iraq to join in reconstruction work.

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(1)Japan's advance team in Samawah

SAMAWAH, Iraq - Col. Masahisa Sato (2nd from L in back low), head of the advance team of Japan's Ground Self-Defense noncombat troops in Iraq, poses with children during his visit to a school in the southern Iraqi city of Samawah on Jan. 25.

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(2)Japan's advance team in Samawah

SAMAWAH, Iraq - Col. Masahisa Sato (3rd from L), head of the advance team of Japan's Ground Self-Defense noncombat troops in Iraq, inspects a war-damaged school building in the southern Iraqi city of Samawah on Jan. 25.

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GSDF says Samawah relatively safe

TOKYO, Japan - (From L to R) Fukushiro Nukaga, chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party's policy affairs panel, LDP Secretary General Shinzo Abe, Tetsuzo Fuyushiba, head of the New Komeito party's secretary general, and Kazuo Kitagawa, head of Komeito's policy affairs committee, attend a briefing by Defense Agency officials on security in the southeastern Iraqi city of Samawah, where a core unit of Japan's noncombat ground troops is expected to be sent for reconstruction work in Iraq.

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(1)Japanese troops in Iraq

SAMAWAH, Iraq - Armored vehicles carrying Japan's Ground Self-Defense noncombat troops run in bad weather outside the southern Iraqi city of Samawah on Jan. 23.

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(2)Japanese troops in Iraq

SAMAWAH, Iraq - Armored vehicles carrying Japan's Ground Self-Defense noncombat troops run on a drenched road outside the southern Iraqi city of Samawah on Jan. 23.

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(1)Core Japan air unit heads to Kuwait

KOMAKI, Japan - Air Self-Defense Force members (R) are seen off by families at ASDF Komaki base before leaving for Kuwait Jan. 22 as part of Japan's deployment of noncombat troops to help in the reconstruction of Iraq.

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(2)Koizumi vows Iraq aid, declares economic recovery at Diet

TOKYO, Japan - Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi delivers his policy speech at an ordinary session of the Diet that convened on Jan. 19. He reaffirmed his commitment to sending noncombat Japanese ground troops to Iraq and declared the Japanese economy is recovering in his policy speech in the Diet on Jan. 19.

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(1)Iraqis seek Japan's help with hospital

SAMAWAH, Iraq - A resident of the southern Iraqi city of Samawah is checked by an eye doctor at the Republic Hospital, built with Japanese aid in 1986. City and hospital officials said they want Japan to help again by rebuilding the obsolete facility. Japanese noncombat ground troops will be dispatched to the city to help with Iraq's reconstruction.

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(2)Iraqis seek Japan's help with hospital

SAMAWAH, Iraq - Photo shows the entrance to the Republic Hospital in Samawah, southern Iraq, that was constructed with the Japanese aid in 1986. City and hospital officials said they want Japan to help again in rebuilding the obsolete facility. Japanese noncombat ground troops will be dispatched to the city to help with Iraq's reconstruction.

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High level of radiation detected in Samawah

SAMAWAH, Iraq - A local Iraqi human rights activist and Japanese civic group members have detected radiation levels 300 times higher than normal around the remains of an antiaircraft gun abandoned by the former Iraqi army 2 kilometers from the center of the southern city of Samawah, the activist said Jan. 10. Japan's noncombat ground troops will be dispatched to the city to prepare for the deployment of core units to help Iraq's reconstruction.

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Ishiba orders GSDF advance team dispatch to Iraq

TOKYO, Japan - Defense Agency Director General Shigeru Ishiba speaks to reporters at the Defense Agency on Jan. 9 about his order to dispatch an advance team of Japanese noncombat ground troops to Iraq to prepare for the deployment of core units.

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2nd batch of advance ASDF team arrive in Kuwait

KUWAIT CITY, Kuwait - The second batch of an advance Japanese Air Self-Defense Force (ASDF) team arrived at Kuwait International Airport on Dec. 28 for the Iraq reconstruction mission, spearheading Japan's deployment of noncombat troops to the nation.

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(1)Japan ASDF members arrive in Kuwait

KUWAIT CITY, Kuwait - Members of a Japanese Air Self-Defense Force team board a bus after arriving at Kuwait international airport on Dec. 27, spearheading Japan's deployment of noncombat troops to the country.

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(2)Japan ASDF members arrive in Kuwait

KUWAIT CITY, Kuwait - Members of a Japanese Air Self-Defense Force team arrive at a Kuwaiti hotel on Dec. 27, spearheading Japan's deployment of noncombat troops to the country.

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ASDF advance unit leaves for Iraq mission

NARITA, Japan - An Air Self-Defense Force (ASDF) team departs Dec. 26 from Narita airport for reconstruction duties in Iraq, spearheading Japan's deployment of noncombat troops to the country.