A group of residents vowed Monday to protect the contingent of Ground Self-Defense Force troops that will be posted here and expressed hope for their help in reconstruction work.
At the first meeting of a newly launched group aimed at promoting friendly ties with the Japanese, around 50 participants, including local officials and businessmen, agreed on the need for the city as a whole to protect the GSDF contingent.
The group was formed around a local basketball team, which has hung a banner in a shopping area that reads, "We welcome the Japanese."
An advance team of ground troops will be sent to Samawah by the end of the month to prepare for the deployment of core units that will cooperate in reconstruction efforts here, according to the Japanese government.
"The residents have an obligation to protect our Japanese friends," said Enmarl Fudl, chairman of the new group. "We must set up a neighborhood watch group and guard against any inflow of weapons."
Einmad Mohamad, a senior Samawah police official, said: "There are still members within the police force who have sympathies with the Ba'ath Party. We must have them quit."
The Ba'ath Party ruled Iraq under former President Saddam Hussein.
His comment drew a round of applause.
Ishiba tours Brit HQ
LONDON (Kyodo) Defense Agency chief Shigeru Ishiba visited Britain's Permanent Joint Forces Headquarters outside London on Tuesday morning.
Ishiba's visit comes ahead of Japan's plan to reorganize the joint staff council of the Self-Defense Forces and the staff offices of the three services to further integrate their operations by March 2006.
Ishiba, director general of the Defense Agency, arrived in Britain on Sunday.