Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari on Thursday urged his Japanese counterpart, Taro Aso, to keep the Self-Defense Forces troops deployed to Samawah, a Foreign Ministry official said.

"There will be a time when coalition forces, including the SDF, will end their stationing in Iraq," Zebari was quoted as saying by the official. "But now is a very important period of time and we need your continued involvement."

Japan has about 600 Ground Self-Defense Force troops in Samawah.