The government will for the first time dispatch two to three civilian officials to take part in reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan as early as spring, Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone said Friday.
Working under the International Security Assistance Force, they will engage in development assistance, including school construction and job training, as members of a provincial reconstruction team led by Lithuania in Chaghcharan in western Afghanistan, the ministry said.
Japan will consider more dispatches to other reconstruction teams, if needed, after considering the effectiveness and security conditions.
The region concerned is believed to be relatively stable.
The officials to be dispatched are expected to come mainly from the Foreign Ministry, although the government may also select representatives from the private sector, if deemed appropriate, after analyzing the needs and conditions in Chaghcharan.
A provincial reconstruction team comprises military officers, diplomats and experts.