Two domestic media bodies agreed Thursday not to involve their staff in any reporting that could have dangerous consequences in Iraq.
At the same time, the groups asked the government to provide sufficient information on the Ground Self-Defense Force, an advance team of which has been dispatched to the country.
The editorial committees of the Japan Newspaper Publishers and Editors Association and the National Association of Commercial Broadcasters in Japan said in a joint statement that care would be taken to ensure the safety of reporters, adding that "no reporting will be done that could lead to danger or complications."
The two associations said that some reporters had acted dangerously in their attempts to gather information, such as chasing GSDF cars and waiting in front of camps.
"The biggest reason for the confusion is the fact that the Defense Agency is not providing adequate information," the associations said.
"However, if circumstances are left as they are, (reporters and cameramen) could be mistaken for terrorists and may face grave consequences, such as becoming the targets of shootings."
They noted, however, that the activities of the GSDF advance team are of great interest to the Japanese public and that it is the responsibility of the media to undertake appropriate reporting.
The same day, Senior Vice Foreign Minister Masatoshi Abe urged the media to refrain from sending reporters and other staff to Iraq to report on the Self-Defense Forces due to the unstable security situation there.
"We need to consider the safety of our citizens, including journalists, at a time when the (security) situation may deteriorate," Abe said during his regularly scheduled news conference.