Japanese air unit reaches Kuwait

The air personnel will help transport equipment and supplies to Iraq

More than 100 Japanese air force personnel have arrived in Kuwait, to support humanitarian work in Iraq.

They follow advance units which reached southern Iraq on Monday, becoming the first Japanese troops to enter a conflict zone since World War II.

Japan's decision to send troops to Iraq is controversial because if troops got drawn into conflict, it is argued this would violate the constitution.

The dispatch of the main body of troops may be ordered as early as Monday.

Japan has already dispatched three advance teams to Kuwait and the southern Iraqi city of Samawah, ahead of its planned deployment of the core contingent of troops by March.

PACIFISM UNDER THREAT? Japan's constitution renounces the use of force This has been stretched to allow self-defence troops 1992 law allowed troops to join UN and relief work overseas 2003 law said troops could go to non-combat zones in Iraq PM Koizumi wants to give Japan even greater powers Papers express reservations

Japan's main opposition leader has said Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi should resign over his decision to send the troops.

Mr Koizumi has said that the troops would be carrying out humanitarian work, and if they were forced to defend themselves, "legitimate self-defence is totally different from the use of force under a state order".

He has argued that the controversial troop deployment is needed as part of Japan's role in the international community.

Opinion polls suggest that around half of the Japanese public is currently opposed to the deployment.