A facility modeled on the Ground Self-Defense Force camp in the southern Iraqi city of Samawah will be built at the GSDF's training site in Yamanashi Prefecture to practice fending off attacks.

The envisioned drills will be held at the facility in the GSDF's Kitafuji training ground. Japan has deployed a GSDF contingent of 550 troops to help rebuild Iraq.

But locals have said the government has failed to give them a sufficient explanation.

Four citizens' groups visited the Yamanashi Prefectural Government on Thursday, demanding a halt to the planned construction of the training site.