Japan Says No Iraq Pullout Date Chosen

Japan's prime minister on Sunday refused to say when the country's troops would leave Iraq, saying the government was still discussing whether and when to pull out, despite a media reports suggesting a July withdrawal.

Media reports said Sunday Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi planned to discuss Japan's troop withdrawal at a June summit with U.S. President George W. Bush, and that Tokyo could begin to bring troops home in July.

"We will reach a decision based on a comprehensive evaluation," Koizumi told reporters in northwest Japan.

"Even if Japanese troops do pull out from Iraq, [Japanese] assistance [to Iraq] will continue in other areas," he added.

With Iraq's unity government finally sworn into office on Saturday, speculation has been rife that Tokyo will speed up preparations to withdraw its 600 non-combat troops from the southern Iraqi city of Samawah.

Nihon Keizai newspaper, Japan's largest business daily, reported Sunday that Japan will start the pullout as early as July, after Koizumi discusses the withdrawal plans with Bush at the June summit in Washington.

Koizumi plans to assure Bush that Tokyo will continue to assist Iraq in other ways, the paper said. Koizumi has said Japan could send its Kuwait-based air force transport planes on missions to Iraq to carry U.N. personnel and equipment.

Tokyo will coordinate its withdrawal plans with Britain and Australia, who also have troops in Iraq, according to a similar report carried by Kyodo News agency.

The reports cited anonymous government sources. Defense and foreign ministry officials couldn't be reached for comment Sunday.

Japan is Washington's top ally in East Asia and has been a staunch supporter of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, dispatching troops there in 2004 to carry out humanitarian tasks - its biggest and most dangerous mission since World War II.

The Cabinet approved an extension of the Iraqi mission in December, authorizing soldiers to stay through the end of this year.

The deployment has been unpopular with the Japanese public, however. Many say it violates the country's pacifist constitution, and has made Japan a target for terrorism.

Iraq's unity government took office Saturday after five months of often bitter argument, vowing to fight the insurgency and restore stability to set the stage for the eventual withdrawal of U.S. and other international forces.

Tokyo immediately welcomed the new government, and vowed to continue support of Iraq's nation-building efforts.

Koizumi is slated to meet with Bush in Washington on June 29, and will also visit Tennessee, according to Jiji News agency.