Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari asked Japan on Wednesday to extend the Self-Defense Forces reconstruction mission in Iraq beyond the current deadline of mid-December, according to a Japanese official.
In a meeting with Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura, held on the sidelines of U.N. meetings here, Zebari voiced hope that he could visit Japan soon to express his appreciation to the Japanese government and people for their help in rebuilding Iraq.
Machimura thanked Iraq for supporting Japan's bid to become a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, and asked for continued cooperation in maintaining the momentum for UNSC reform.