Japanese troops in southern Iraq are preparing for the relief and reconstruction mission their government has sent them on, but they will find it difficult to live up to local expectations that Japan will be creating jobs in a city with 70 percent unemployment.
A 30-member advance team of the Ground Self-Defense Force crossed into Iraq on Monday to pave the way for deployment of a 550-strong contingent by March.
According to Japan, the main GSDF unit will help purify local water supplies, repair damaged roads and provide medical care in Samawah.