VZCZCXYZ0005
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKO #3515 1740947
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 230947Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
INFO RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD IMMEDIATE 0122
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3636
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RHMFIUU/COMUSJAPAN YOKOTA AB JA IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS TOKYO 003515 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PINS MOPS PREL IZ JA
SUBJECT: DEFMIN NUKAGA LETTER TO SECDEF ON IRAQ DEPLOYMENT 
 
 
¶1. (U) Embassy has received a letter from Defense Minister 
Nukaga to Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld dated June 22 
regarding the changes to Japan's deployment of Self-Defense 
Forces in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (full text in 
para 2; original to follow via pouch). 
 
¶2. (U) The letter, received from JDA Operations Bureau 
contacts on June 23, expresses gratitude for U.S. assistance 
during the Ground Self-Defense Forces' deployment to Al 
Muthanna province, and pledges a continued role for the 
Self-Defense Forces in providing airlift for coalition forces 
and the United Nations, and support for counter-terrorism 
operations in the Indian Ocean. 
 
¶3. (U) Begin letter text (labeled "provisional translation"): 
 
The Honorable Donald Henry Rumsfeld 
Secretary of Defense 
 
SIPDIS 
1000 Defense Pentagon 
Washington, DC 20301-1000 
 
Dear Secretary Rumsfeld, 
 
As I understand your schedule is very tight, I hope you do 
not object that I chose to write to you instead of giving you 
a call personally. 
 
Following the announcement of the transfer of authority in Al 
Muthanna Province in Iraq, the Japanese Government announced 
on June 20 that it will redeploy the Ground Self-Defense 
Force Reconstruction Group from the province. 
 
I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude 
for the U.S. forces' various assistance to our forces, which 
has been afforded from the predeployment phase to the present. 
 
As I mentioned at out last meeting in Singapore as well as on 
other occasions, even after the Ground Self-Defense Force has 
redeployed to Japan, Japan will continue to dispatch liaison 
officers to the multinational forces headquarters in Baghdad 
and continue to provide airlifts by the Air Self-Defense 
Force to assist the multinational forces and the United 
Nations, adding Baghdad and Erbil to the cities to which 
airlifts will be provided. 
 
The Self-Defense Forces will continue to engage in activities 
to support the reconstruction of Iraq and activities in the 
Indian Ocean for the fight against terrorism, thereby taking 
an active role to achieve our common goals in the 
international community. 
 
I hope we can continue to work closely together in order to 
further strengthen our cooperative relationship under the 
U.S.-Japan alliance. 
 
Sincerely, 
 
// s // 
 
Fukushiro Nukaga 
Minister of State for Defense 
Director-General of Defense Agency 
 
End text. 
SCHIEFFER