Tokyo, Oct 12: Japan will pledge money for Iraq's reconstruction during a donors' conference in Madrid later this month, a top aide to Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said today. “Japan will announce its monetary contributions in Madrid,'' said Shinzo Abe, Secretary General of Koizumi's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, on a television programme. Abe did not specify the amount. Local media reported yesterday that Japan will contribute between USD 1.5 billion and USD 2 billion in the coming fiscal year and as much as USD 5 billion over the next four years. Abe made clear that Japan will also send troops to Iraq in addition to money. Critics say such a troop dispatch could violate Japan's post-World War II pacifist constitution. “We are sending defence troops to help Iraq's reconstruction, not to wage war," Abe said. Parliament in July approved sending troops to assist with postwar rebuilding in Iraq.
Media reports had speculated that Japan might pledge money as early as this week. Koizumi and US President George W Bush are due to meet Friday, when Bush stops in Tokyo en-route to an Asia-Pacific economic cooperation forum in Bangkok.
Also today, a newspaper reported that Japan is considering sending troops to Basra and Nasiriya, two cities in southern Iraq with a relatively stable security situation, to help provide water, electricity and medical supplies.
Bureau Reoprt