Japan defence min says Bush wrong to start Iraq war
TOKYO, Jan 24 (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe expressed hope on Wednesday that a U.S. troop increase would bring new results in Iraq, but his defence minister said starting the war in the first place had been a mistake.
"We hope that the fresh U.S. commitment will bring new results," Abe told reporters after U.S. President George W. Bush delivered his State of the Union speech.
"The international community recognises the efforts of the people of Iraq. We must fulfill our responsibilities so that Iraq recovers stability and rebuilds as soon as possible," he added.
Bush had urged a rebellious Congress to give his plan to send 21,500 more U.S. troops to Iraq a chance and insisted it was not too late to shape the outcome.
Earlier in the day, Japanese Defence Minister Fumio Kyuma reiterated his doubts about Bush's decision to start the war.
"I think President Bush launched the war in a situation as if there were nuclear weapons, but I think that decision was wrong," Kyodo news agency quoted Kyuma as telling a news conference.
Kyuma also criticised the United States for not having a gameplan to deal with Iraq after the war, unlike the case of the U.S.-led Occupation of Japan after its defeat in World War Two.
"In Japan's case, the United States succeeded in handling the postwar situation by leaving the imperial system intact," Kyodo quoted him as saying.
"But I have been worried that it would be a difficult task (in Iraq). And looking at the process so far, I think I am right," he added.
Japan's top government spokesman, Yasuhisa Shiozaki, played down Kyuma's remarks. "I believe he was just speaking his own interpretation as a politician," Shiozaki told a news conference.
The outspoken Kyuma sparked a media fuss last month by saying he believed Japan's government had not officially supported the U.S.-led war in Iraq. He later withdrew this comment, but said that he personally had doubts about whether there had been a need for Japan's closest ally to go to war.
Staunch U.S. ally Japan sent about 550 non-combat troops on a reconstruction mission to the southern Iraqi town of Samawa.
That mission ended last July but some 200 air force personnel remain in Kuwait to transport supplies to the U.S.-led coalition.
A law enabling the mission is set to expire on July 31 and media have said the government would seek to extend it for another year or two.
Kyuma said Japan would make a final decision by monitoring moves by the United Nations as well as the United States and other countries, Kyodo reported.
"We hope that the fresh U.S. commitment will bring new results," Abe told reporters after U.S. President George W. Bush delivered his State of the Union speech.
"The international community recognises the efforts of the people of Iraq. We must fulfill our responsibilities so that Iraq recovers stability and rebuilds as soon as possible," he added.
Bush had urged a rebellious Congress to give his plan to send 21,500 more U.S. troops to Iraq a chance and insisted it was not too late to shape the outcome.
Earlier in the day, Japanese Defence Minister Fumio Kyuma reiterated his doubts about Bush's decision to start the war.
"I think President Bush launched the war in a situation as if there were nuclear weapons, but I think that decision was wrong," Kyodo news agency quoted Kyuma as telling a news conference.
Kyuma also criticised the United States for not having a gameplan to deal with Iraq after the war, unlike the case of the U.S.-led Occupation of Japan after its defeat in World War Two.
"In Japan's case, the United States succeeded in handling the postwar situation by leaving the imperial system intact," Kyodo quoted him as saying.
"But I have been worried that it would be a difficult task (in Iraq). And looking at the process so far, I think I am right," he added.
Japan's top government spokesman, Yasuhisa Shiozaki, played down Kyuma's remarks. "I believe he was just speaking his own interpretation as a politician," Shiozaki told a news conference.
The outspoken Kyuma sparked a media fuss last month by saying he believed Japan's government had not officially supported the U.S.-led war in Iraq. He later withdrew this comment, but said that he personally had doubts about whether there had been a need for Japan's closest ally to go to war.
Staunch U.S. ally Japan sent about 550 non-combat troops on a reconstruction mission to the southern Iraqi town of Samawa.
That mission ended last July but some 200 air force personnel remain in Kuwait to transport supplies to the U.S.-led coalition.
A law enabling the mission is set to expire on July 31 and media have said the government would seek to extend it for another year or two.
Kyuma said Japan would make a final decision by monitoring moves by the United Nations as well as the United States and other countries, Kyodo reported.
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