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TOKYO : Japan on Thursday welcomed US President George W Bush's plan to send 20,000 more US troops to Iraq and vowed to continue its own support for the war-ravaged nation.
"The Japanese government praises this announcement as additional efforts by the US government to stabilise Iraq," Foreign Minister Taro Aso said in a statement.
"We strongly hope that the US efforts to realise Iraq's stabilisation and restoration will be carried out effectively," Aso said. "Our country will maintain close cooperation and consultation with the United States."
He was speaking just after Bush unveiled a last-ditch US$6.8 billion plan to curb chaos in Iraq, warning of more sacrifice in a bloody year ahead.
Bush's plan "reflects the president's strong commitment to the stabilisation and restoration of Iraq," said Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki, the top government spokesman.
"It is important to stabilise Iraq with effective US efforts and to produce the desired results. Japan wants to continue providing support for the sake of the independence of Iraqi people," he told a news conference.
Japan ended its historic mission to Iraq in July after its first deployment of troops since World War II to a country where fighting was under way.
The Japanese air force continues to assist the US-led coalition and the United Nations by providing flights into Iraq.
Last month, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's cabinet approved the extension of the mission to July.
Japan has been a staunch backer of the Iraq invasion.
Former prime minister Junichiro Koizumi - a close friend of Bush - went ahead with the deployment
despite criticism at home.
Tokyo is also a key donor to Iraq.
It has so far offered six billion US dollars in debt waivers and US$1.5 billion in aid grants to Baghdad. - AFP/ch
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