KUWAIT/ IRAQ: JAPANESE SELF DEFENCE FORCE TROOPS ARRIVE AT THEIR NEW CAMP IN SAMAWA

Record ID: 351211

  • Title: KUWAIT/ IRAQ: JAPANESE SELF DEFENCE FORCE TROOPS ARRIVE AT THEIR NEW CAMP IN SAMAWA
  • Date: 27th February 2004
  • Summary: (W4) ALI AL-SALEM AIR BASE, KUWAIT (39 MILES FROM IRAQ BORDER) (FEBRUARY 27, 2004) (REUTERS) 1. VARIOUS OF JAPANESE MILITARY TRUCKS TRAVELLING TOWARDS IRAQ 0.10 2. SMV SOLDIER TRAVELLING IN BACK OF TRUCK 0.16 3. VARIOUS OF CONVOY (2 SHOTS) 0.42 4. SLV SOLDIER GETTING TRUCK TO STOP 0.48 5. SLV SOLDIERS TALKING 0.56 6. CLOSE OF SOLDIERS RIFLE 0.58 7. SLV SOLDIERS WALKING BY TRUCKS 1.05 8. PAN FROM CAMP TOWARDS TRUCKS LEAVING 1.18 (W3) SAFWAN AND HIGHWAY LEADING TO SAMAWA, IRAQ (FEBRUARY 27, 2004) (REUTERS) 9. WIDE OF JAPANESE MILITARY TRUCKS CROSSING BORDER INTO SAFWAN 1.28 10. VARIOUS OF CONVOY DRIVING ON HIGHWAY OUT OF SAFWAN TOWARDS SAMAWA (2 SHOTS) 1.50 (U4) SAMAWA, IRAQ (FEBRUARY 27, 2004) (REUTERS) 11. VARIOUS OF JAPAN SELF DEFENCE FORCE VEHICLES ARRIVING AT THE CAMP IN SAMAWA (4 SHOTS) 2.39 12. SLV JAPANESE VEHICLES DRIVING THROUGH GATE OF CAMP 2.44 13. CLOSE OF JAPANESE SELF DEFENCE FORCE REGIMENTAL FLAG 2.48 14. WIDE OF JAPANESE SELF DEFENCE FORCES STANDING TO ATTENTION 2.52 15. SLV TROOPS SALUTING COMMANDER KOICHIRO BANSHO 2.58 16. VAROUS OF BANSHO ADDRESSING THE TROOPS 3.09 17. WIDE OF TROOPS DISPERSING AFTER CEREMONY 3.14 18. WIDE OF REPORTERS 3.20 19. SLV BANSHO APPEARING TO ADDRESS REPORTERS 3.23 20. SCU (SOUNDBITE)(Japanese) BANSHO SAYING "We hope to be able to do something for the great people of this country by showing the spirit of Japan. We come from a country which is called The Land of the Rising Sun and we hope to assist in the dawn of a new Iraq." 3.53 21. WIDE OF MEDIA / PAN TO BANSHO 4.05 22. CLOSE OF SDF VEHICLE WITH JAPAN BADGE 4.08 23. VARIOUS OF BANSHO LEAVING PRESS CONFERENCE 4.16 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 13th March 2004 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: ALI AL-SALEM AIR BASE, KUWAIT / SAFWAN AND HIGHWAY LEADING TO SAMAWA AND SAMAWA, IRAQ
  • City:
  • Country: Iraq Kuwait
  • Reuters ID: LVADKDB1WBZ1Y77I8IFAY1QQ2MB6
  • Story Text: Japanese troops arrive at their newly built camp in
    southern Iraq.



    A convoy carrying nearly a hundred Japanese Self
    Defence Force (SDF) troops arrived at their newly built
    camp in the southern Iraqi city of Samawa on Friday
    (February 27) from Kuwait.

    Commander Koichiro Bansho, who led the troops to the
    camp on the outskirts of Samawa city some 300 kilometres
    south of Baghdad, was greeted by Colonel Masahisa Sato at
    the entrance of the camp which was completed earlier in the
    week.

    After the convoy of about thirty vehicles were safely
    within the confines of the camp, Bansho greeted the troops
    who came to Samawa in January to build the camp and to make
    necessary arrangements with local officials for the
    humanitarian and reconstruction projects they plan to carry
    out in the region.

    Bansho said he was keen to help the people of Iraq. "We
    hope to be able to do something for the great people of
    this country by showing the spirit of Japan. We come from a
    country which is called The Land of the Rising Sun and we
    hope to assist in the dawn of a new Iraq," he told
    reporters who had gathered at the camp for the arrival.

    The troops will not have a combat role but in the
    coming months, nearly a thousand troops are due to be
    posted in Samawa to help the city and neighbouring towns
    and villages rebuild school, improve water supplies and
    medical treatment capabilities.

    The deployment, which is the first for the SDF to a
    combat zone, is seen as the most dangerous mission by
    Japan's military since World War Two.


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