Japan begins pull out from Iraq

BASRA: Japan began withdrawing its forces from Iraq on Sunday five days after deciding to end its first overseas military deployment since World War II in a country where hostilities are under way.

A convoy of more than a dozen military vehicles and engineering equipment left the Japanese base in the southern province of Muthanna for Kuwait.

Japanese military officials in Samawa confirmed that the withdrawal of its 600 troops from Iraq had begun with the dispatch of military trucks and other equipment to Kuwait.

The convoy of small military vehicles, bulldozers and other engineering equipment used in reconstruction work left the Samawa base at around 6:45 am (0245 GMT) and is now in Kuwait, a Japanese military official said.

However, none of the 600 soldiers stationed in Samawa formed part of the convoy. On June 20 Japan ordered its troops to leave Iraq, ending its first military mission since World War II to a country where fighting is under way.