Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has implied Japan is prepared to extend the duty of its Self-Defense Forces in Iraq past its December deadline.
Koizumi made the suggestion regarding the SDF to U.S. President George W. Bush on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, a meeting of leaders from the 21 nations that border the Pacific Ocean. The weekend meeting was held in Santiago, Chile.
"Iraq's reconstruction must succeed," Koizumi reportedly said to Bush. "Japan is ready to continue its cooperation."
The SDF deployment is currently scheduled to be completed Dec. 14, however the prime minister did not specify how long a proposed extension would last, La Tercera newspaper reported Sunday.
Koizumi also voiced concern over the recent weakness of the U.S dollar, which recently posted an all-time low against the euro. Koizumi told Bush the dollar's fall could make his nation's exports uncompetitive.
The president said he would work to bolster the U.S. dollar and lower the budget deficit.
© Copyright 2004 by United Press International
