Japan will make a "responsible contribution" to the reconstruction of postwar Iraq, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda said Thursday, responding to the effective collapse of President Saddam Hussein's regime the previous day.

However, the government apparently has not reached a consensus on the extent of Japan's involvement, awaiting news of the United Nations' role in rebuilding the war-torn country.

Government leaders meanwhile expressed relief that the war seems to be nearing an end.

"By watching the vivid scene of (Hussein's statute pulled down in Baghdad), we believe that the war has come to a final stage," Fukuda said. "However, the fighting is still sporadically continuing, and we hope that the war will be over as soon as possible without any more casualties."

"It's good that we can now expect an end in the short term," Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said.

But the prime minister maintained that the war is not yet over, noting that Hussein's whereabouts remain unknown.

Fukuda said finance ministers and central bankers from the Group of Seven major nations may "broadly" discuss the reconstruction of Iraq during their two-day meeting in Washington that begins Friday.

"Japan will make a responsible contribution (to the reconstruction) as the second-biggest economy in the world," Fukuda said.

Japan hopes to have a visible presence in Iraq's reconstruction process. But for that to happen, the government believes the U.N. must play a central role.

Officials said Japan's role will be limited if post-Hussein Iraq comes under a U.S.-led military occupation, which would clash with the nation's war-renouncing Constitution.

Washington apparently wants to limit the U.N.'s role to humanitarian aid, while taking the lead in establishing an interim authority that will be run by U.S.-friendly Iraqi exiles.

"Until the U.N. role is determined, there won't be much we can do," one senior administration official said. "There will be no legal basis for us to do reconstruction work in Iraq if a military occupation continues there."

Japan's role in such circumstances would be limited to making financial contributions to cover humanitarian assistance through the U.N., the official said.

The U.S. has reportedly asked Japan to send officials to act as foreign advisers to a U.S.-led interim authority in postwar Iraq, a move seen as a reward for Japan's clear support of the war.

But the government remains cautious about responding.

"We are not sure what form the interim authority will take and to what extent the U.N. will be involved," another senior official said. "We cannot decide at this stage whether to send someone to the interim authority."

Toshimitsu Motegi, senior vice foreign minister, said Thursday morning the international community has not yet formed a consensus on the role and status of the U.S. Defense Department's Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance, which will likely be in charge of rebuilding Iraq, and an Iraqi Interim Authority that will be formed sometime later to take over the job.

"We will discuss with related countries how Japan should be involved with ORHA and IIA, as there isn't a clear understanding of those institutions among the countries involved," Motegi said.