Officials at the Japanese Embassy in Baghdad have been evacuated from the compound to a separate site in the city amid fears of a terrorist attack, government sources said Friday.
"Embassy officials at times leave the building due to various (security) information," said a senior Foreign Ministry official, declining to be named.
The official hinted that this is not the first time officials have been evacuated from the diplomatic mission.
The official denied, however, that the embassy staff withdrew from Baghdad. A full withdrawal would mark a major policy shift amid mounting concerns over the security situation there.
Although Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda declined comment on the issue, citing security reasons, he hinted that the officials had been evacuated to a different site in Baghdad.
"Well . . . they are doing their duty within Baghdad," Fukuda said.
Another Foreign Ministry official noted that the move would not affect the government's role in assisting the Ground Self-Defense Force troops who have been dispatched to the southern Iraq city of Samawah for humanitarian missions.
In December, the Foreign Ministry warned Japanese in Baghdad, mainly journalists, to steer clear of the embassy since it is considered a likely target for terrorists. The warning remains in effect.