Business leaders on Wednesday welcomed the decision by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's Cabinet to dispatch up to 600 noncombat ground troops to Iraq to help with reconstruction work.
"It is extremely important to secure peace and stable development in the Middle East," said Kakutaro Kitashiro, chairman of the Japan Association of Corporate Executives.
Nobuo Yamaguchi, chairman of the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the decision, made Tuesday, is part of Japan's international responsibility to send troops to Iraq.
"From the viewpoint of reconstruction, humanitarian assistance, the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty and the antiterrorism movement, it is natural (for Japan) to cooperate as much as possible as a member of international society," he said.
Hiroshi Okuda, chairman of the Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren), said Japan "must" send troops to Iraq, but should do so under the framework of the U.N.
Some business leaders urged utmost efforts to ensure the troops' safety.