Although most Japanese firms trading in the Middle East have responded to the war in Iraq by evacuating their employees to safe locations, a few are moving ahead with projects in potentially dangerous areas.
According to the Foreign Ministry, most of the roughly 5,000 Japanese living in countries near Iraq had moved to locations thought to be beyond the range of Iraqi missiles before Washington launched its offensive Thursday.
Most workers have been moved to the United Arab Emirates, the destination favored by such companies as trading houses Mitsui & Co. and Sumitomo Corp., as well as oil refiner Idemitsu Kosan Co. and general contractor Taisei Corp.