Japanese Defense Minister Fukushiro Nukaga will visit Singapore for four days from Friday to attend an international conference on security in Asia, to be hosted by Britain's International Institute for Strategic Studies.
The conference, dubbed Shangri-La Dialogue, will take place from Friday through Sunday, bringing together defense ministers from 22 countries, including Japan, the United States, Britain, Australia, China, South Korea, Britain and France.
Japanese Defense Minister Fukushiro Nukaga will visit Singapore for four days from Friday to attend an international conference on security in Asia, to be hosted by Britain's International Institute for Strategic Studies.
The conference, dubbed Shangri-La Dialogue, will take place from Friday through Sunday, bringing together defense ministers from 22 countries, including Japan, the United States, Britain, Australia, China, South Korea, Britain and France.
Nukaga may meet with U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Australian Defense Minister Brendan Nelson on the fringe of the conference to exchange views on the timing of a possible withdrawal of Japanese troops stationed in southern Iraq to support the country's rebuilding, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Australian and British troops are providing security to the Japanese troops, whose use of force is restricted under Japan's constitution.
At the meeting with Rumsfeld, Nukaga is expected to explain basic policy measures regarding the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan that were adopted by the Japanese government Tuesday, the sources said.
Nukaga and Rumsfeld are also likely to discuss future defense-related cooperation between Japan and the United States, the sources said.
