Citing security concerns, the Defense Agency called on the Japanese media Friday to exercise more restraint in their coverage of the deployment of the Self-Defense Forces to Iraq.

Heads of the news sections of 10 major newspapers and six TV broadcasters were summoned to the agency and formally asked to refrain from reporting such details as the timing of the departure of the SDF contingent, where it will be deployed and how SDF personnel will respond to emergencies.

In making the request, which is nonbinding, agency officials maintained that the reporting of such information threatens to undermine the safety of SDF personnel.