Ja'afari Visits Tokyo

Prime minister Ibrahim al-Ja'afari left yesterday (December 4) afternoon for a state visit to Tokyo. Ja'afari will meet Japanese officials to negotiate improving economic and political bilateral relations and will address Iraq's debts to Japan. The visit is part of the elected government's efforts to enhance relations with the rest of the world and encourage (other countries) to participate in rebuilding Iraq. Ja'afari’s last visit to Saudi Arabia was successful, and the Saudi side showed readiness to cooperate with Iraq. (Ja'afari's visit to Japan comes shortly before Japan will decide whether to extend the deployment of 600 troops in the southern Iraqi city of Samawa.)