Top government officials breathed a sigh of relief Friday after Britain announced it will send troops to the Iraqi province where Ground Self-Defense Force troops are stationed to take over security from Dutch forces leaving in March.</PARAGRAPH> <PARAGRAPH>The British Defense Ministry said Thursday it will deploy 600 troops to southern Al-Muthanna Province, where the GSDF camp is located, to handle security after the withdrawal of 1,400 Dutch soldiers.</PARAGRAPH> <PARAGRAPH>Tokyo welcomed the decision as there had been concern that the Dutch pullout would leave the Japanese troops more vulnerable to attack. The GSDF troops are there only to assist with reconstruction work and are restricted in their ability to use force.</PARAGRAPH> <PARAGRAPH>'The size of the military unit is specific, and we welcome the –

move," Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroyuki Hosoda told a regular news conference Friday morning.

Although Britain has said its troops would work with Iraqi security forces in the province, some Japanese government officials have expressed doubts over the plan, pointing out that the foreign military presence will decline by 800 when the Dutch leave.

But Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura brushed aside the concerns, saying the security situation in Samawah, the provincial capital and site of the GSDF camp, remains relatively stable and Dutch troops have been training Iraqi police to maintain security.

"Considering these conditions, we think the security situation will continue to be stable," Machimura told reporters.