Japan says no date for Iraq pullout

Japan does not have a date to end its historic mission in Iraq, a government spokesman says, after the outspoken foreign minister said the exit may be delayed until after autumn.

"The establishment of the (Iraqi) political sector is now in the final stage," said Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe.

"We should not decide when to end the mission of Self-Defense Forces when the situation is like this," he told reporters.

Japan never announced a date to end its Iraq mission but numerous press reports had said the withdrawal would be complete by the end of May.

Foreign Minister Taro Aso said Sunday that Japan may delay the withdrawal of its troops from Iraq until after autumn as the process of establishing a new government there was dragging on.

Abe, a rival to Aso to succeed Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi later this year, said the foreign minister simply "meant we have a variety of options."

Jiji Press reported that Japan decided to delay the announcement of a pullout until after a government of national unity is set up in Baghdad. Talks have been carrying on for more than three months.

Japan, which renounced war under a US-imposed 1947 constitution, has 600 troops in Iraq on its first military mission since World War II to a country where fighting is under way.

The reconstruction mission in the relatively safe southern city of Samawa relies on protection from Australian and British forces.