iraq

DPJ is outdoing LDP in enthusiasm over SDF deployment in Iraq: Akahata column

Akahata of April 22 had a column commenting on questions made by Nagashima Akihisa, Democratic Party of Japan representative in the House of Representatives Special Committee on Contingency Legislation meeting on April 20.

Referring to the report on the Spanish decision to withdraw its troops from Iraq, Nagashima said: It's a shock that Spain pulls out. The foreign minister of Japan, as a member of the Coalition of the Willing, must dissuade Spain from withdrawing troops. Other members are being influenced, and the influence may affect public opinion in Japan to call for the SDF to be withdrawn.

The opposition DPJ is generally thought to be critical of sending the SDF to Iraq. However, DPJ Nagashima in the committee was more insistent about the continued SDF deployment than the pro-deployment ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

Nagashima said to Foreign Minister Kawaguchi Yoriko, "If I were in your position, I would make more positive efforts to get a U.N. resolution passed so that Japan can send the SDF as part of U.N. peace-keeping operations (PKO)."

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The Democratic Party of Japan had an emergency meeting of leaders late on April 20 and adopted a policy of "not demanding the immediate withdrawal of the SDF from Iraq." (end)