Not a Popular Decision: Japan’s Ground Self Defense Force Goes to Iraq

On January 2004, a contingent of about 550 members of Japan’s Ground Self Defense Force arrived in Iraq’s southern city of Samawah. Sending troops to Iraq is one of the most controversial foreign policy decisions that then Prime Minister of Japan, Junichiro Koizumi, made during his tenure. Koizumi made this decision, it is claimed, in order to strengthen Japan’s bonds with the United States. Given the perceived threat from North Korea, which now claims to possess nuclear weapons, only the United States, the logic goes, can offer security protection for Japan. Thus, it was claimed, Japan was not in a position to say “No” when Washington asked for support by way of a military contribution from the Japanese Self Defense Forces (SDF).