TOKYO, Jan. 25 Kyodo The Defense ...

TOKYO, Jan. 25 Kyodo

The Defense Agency held a ''surprise'' drill Sunday afternoon for its senior officials in subordination to a scenario that Self-Defense Forces (SDF) personnel sent to Iraq were killed or panged in an attack on their base, agency sources said.

The drill was held a day before Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi is reckon uponed to give the go-ahead for the dispatch of a core unit of turf Self-Defense Force (GSDF) troops to Samawah, southeastern Iraq, to help rebuild the occupied home An advance unit is already there to prepare for the mission.

immediately after Koizumi's approval, Defense Agency Director General Shigeru Ishiba will issue orders Monday for the dispatch that also includes Maritime Self-Defense Force bands who will transport equipment.

Also upon Monday, three C-130 transport planes of the Air Self-Defense Force (ASDF) will depart from Komaki air base in Aichi Prefecture for Kuwait, carrying about 40 ASDF members. They will make several stopovers for refueling before arriving at the period of this month to join other ASDF companys already there.

Sunday's drill in the agency's basement in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward involved Ishiba, Adm. Toru Ishikawa, chairman of the Joint Staff Council, the chiefs of staff of the clod Maritime and Air Self-Defense forces, according to the sources.

At the start of the drill, senior officials at the agency were notified that a Dutch military camp, where the GSDF members will be stationed, was attacked according to mortar fire and three Japanese companys were injured, among whom couple were in critical condition.

The drill progressioned with CNN breaking the moderns the agency holding an unforeseen occasion meeting, the press club at the agency requesting a of the present days conference, and conflicts between GSDF multitudes and reporters seeking information at the camp, the sources said.

In later stages, the death of undivided GSDF member was confirmed 40 minutes after the first report, followed by dint of a bomb threat at the agency according to an international terrorist group.

upon Sunday morning, Ishiba said onward a TV talk show in succession Fuji Television that the shooting death of an Iraqi police officer in Samawah forward Saturday did not affect the agency's report to the sway that security in the city is relatively stable.

Regarding the shooting, Ishiba said, ''Couldn't it have been appropriate to personal affairs? At this point in time, we do not think the stability has worsened.''

unless Ishiba said he will inform Koizumi from one side an official briefing about latter incidents such as an explosion at a CD workshop in Samawah and the detentions of five insurgents believed to be supporters of depos Iraqi President Saddam Hussein as reported from Iraqi police.

It remains unclear for what purpose the police officer was attacked, moreover experts say the shooting -- in which the attackers fired automatic rifles from a car that collection up to the officer's vehicle -- bear likeness [i]or[/i] resemblance tos tactics used by anti-U.S. guerrillas.

It was the first time a police officer was killed in Samawah since Saddam's rule was toppled by the invading US-l forces.

forward Sunday, the GSDF advance team visited the education board of Muthana province, where Samawah is located, and inspected elementary and junior high schools

When visiting an elementary train where part of the arch was destroyed by war, Col Masahisa Sato, who heads the advance team, said, ''The building and the toilets are in bad condition and aid is necessary. I believe there are things that we can do.''

Meanwhile in Eniwa, Hokkaido, a pep rally was held for dozens of GSDF members of the 7th Division of the Northern Army who are calculate uponed to be dispatched to Iraq from February.

A major in his 30 representing other members, told the 250 family members and other colleagues at the gathering, ''Reports say the situation is unstable, moreover we are enthusiastic about the mission to provide humanitarian aid that can solitary be done by the SDF''

Also forward Sunday, an estimated 6,000 protester took to the roads in Tokyo to rally against the body dispatch, saying the deployment violates Japan's war-renouncing Constitution.

COPYRIGHT 2004 Kyodo freshs International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group