Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has faced the wrenching task of spelling out his foreign policy on Iraq. Until Monday he remained noncommittal on how Japan would respond if the United States goes to war without explicit U.N. backing. Now, with the U.S. having issued an ultimatum to Iraq and an invasion imminent in 48 hours, Mr. Koizumi has announced that Tokyo will back Washington.

With the U.N. Security Council sharply divided, the U.S., Britain and Spain have decided not to call for a vote on a resolution paving the way for military action. U.S. President George W. Bush, speaking from the White House on Tuesday, told America and the world that Iraqi President "Saddam Hussein and his sons must leave the country within 48 hours. Their refusal to do so will result in military conflict, commenced at a time of our choosing."

In his speech, Mr. Bush stressed that peaceful efforts to disarm the Iraqi regime "have failed again and again -- because we are not dealing with peaceful men." He held Iraq responsible for the launching of the coming war by saying "intelligence gathered by this and other governments leaves no doubt that the Iraq regime continues to possess and conceal some of the most lethal weapons ever devised."