Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on Friday told U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld that Japan supports U.S. efforts to rebuild Iraq, but also hinted no Japanese troops will be dispatched to the country this year.

The government had earlier planned to send Self-Defense Forces by year's end, but the bombing of an Italian military base in the southern part of the country earlier this week has made that politically impossible.

Referring to the planned dispatch, Koizumi told Rumsfeld "the situation is (now too) severe."

"(The government) will decide (when to dispatch SDF troops) after judging the situation," Koizumi told reporters after meeting with Rumsfeld.

Koizumi also strongly urged Rumsfeld to increase United Nations involvement in the reconstruction process so that U.S. intentions can be better understood by a larger section of the global community, according to Foreign Ministry officials.

"(The U.S.) should make full use of the U.N. so that many nations will understand the justice and goodwill of the U.S.," Koizumi was quoted as saying by the officials. "It is when the U.S. and the U.N. come together that a great power is created."

In the wake of Wednesday's suicide bombing in the town of Nasiriyah, Japan has been forced to re-examine the situation before committing itself to a dispatch of troops.

In Washington Thursday, U.S. National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice said the U.S. understands Japan's decision but anticipates that it will eventually send troops.

Rumsfeld, who arrived in Tokyo earlier Friday, made no specific requests as for the timing of an SDF dispatch. Instead he thanked Japan for its initiative in pledging financial support to Iraq, calling it a "generous contribution."

Japan has promised to provide up to $5 billion by the end of 2007.

Koizumi said Japan has supported the U.S. war on Iraq because it believed Iraqis would not be able to enjoy democracy and peace unless Hussein was overthrown, according to the officials.

The remark is a departure from comments Koizumi made in March when the war began. At that time, Koizumi said Tokyo supported Washington as a means to prevent weapons of mass destruction from falling into the hands of terrorists.

As for North Korea's nuclear development program, Koizumi emphasized the need for Japan and the U.S. to closely cooperate in seeking a peaceful resolution.

During the talks, Koizumi also touched on U.S. bases in Okinawa.

"One of the greatest task of my Cabinet is to reduce the burden of Okinawa Prefecture," said Koizumi, referring to the concentration of U.S. bases there.