Japan halts Iraq troop dispatch
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Japan had planned to send troops to areas in southern Iraq to help rebuild the country.
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TOKYO, Japan (CNN) -- Citing a deteriorating security situation, Japanese officials have mothballed plans to send Japanese troops to Iraq.
The decision was announced Thursday by Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda, who referred to the bombing Wednesday in Nasiriya, Iraq, in which 18 Italians were killed at the Italian police headquarters, as part of the reason for the indefinite postponement.
"There should be a situation where our country's self-defense forces can conduct their activities fully," Fukuda said according to Japan's Kyodo news service.
"But to our regret, the situation is not like that. So we are examining the area and contents of needs carefully."
Japan had planned to send an advance team of forces to calmer areas in southern Iraq. Japanese officials postponed that trip and said none would be sent in the near future to help rebuild the country.
"If the situation allows, we'd like to do it as soon as possible," Fukuda said, regarding the future deployment of Japanese forces. "There is no change in this."
In Washington, National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice said the United States respects Japan's decision.
"We feel fully supported by Japan (and) believe they're doing what they believe they can do at this point in time," she told reporters at the White House.
She added that Japan is the "largest single donor" for Iraq reconstruction, and "we're very pleased with what Japan is able to do."
