Japan and the United Nations have exchanged a document on the Air Self-Defense Force's airlift support for U.N. activities in Iraq, Japanese officials said Tuesday.
Under the arrangements in the document, ASDF C-130 transport planes based in Kuwait will airlift personnel and supplies for the U.N., the officials said, adding the airlifts will begin soon.
The document, which sets the procedures and conditions for the ASDF support, was exchanged by Japanese Ambassador to the U.N. Kenzo Oshima and a senior U.N. official in New York on Monday, they said.
The ASDF had been airlifting personnel and supplies to support the Ground Self-Defense Force's activities in the southern Iraq city of Samawah while GSDF troops were deployed there for reconstruction and humanitarian aid assistance.
The GSDF troops were pulled out in July after a mission lasting about 2 1/2 years.
The ASDF mission has meanwhile been expanded to transport supplies and personnel for the United Nations and multinational forces.