Once again confusing the public about his attitude toward a prolonged troops presence in Iraq, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said Tuesday that he had never said the southern city of Samawah was safe, only one day after his comment that it was not a combat zone.

"I have never said Samawah is safe. The Self-Defense Forces (SDF) went there because it was not safe," the premier was quoted as saying by Kyodo News at a meeting with three heavyweights of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

He also said he would leave undecided whether the SDF troops would be staying there until the end of the mission on Dec. 14, adding he needed to think about it carefully.

At the same time, Koizumi threw his strong support to the assault by US and Iraqi government on the insurgents in their stronghold of Fallujah.

"The all-out attack must be successful. The improvement of security is the key for Iraq's reconstruction," he told reporters.

On Monday, the premier said Samawah was a noncombat zone, a legal condition for the deployment. About 500 ground troops are stationed in the city to help with rebuilding.

After the killing of a Japanese hostage last month and two shells attacks at the SDF's camp, oppositions and the public have ratcheted up callings for a due withdrawal.

A poll conducted by the major paper Mainichi Shimbun said Monday that 51 percent of Japanese oppose a prolonged presence. A Kyodo News survey found 63 percent of the respondents were against the extension.

The premier has been taking a vague stand on the issue. He said immediately after the hostage's death that Japan would take a comprehensive review before making decision. However, he reportedly told a parliamentary session on Friday that Japan had "no choice but to (make the planned national election in Iraq in January) succeed."

Analysts here say the premier is walking a fine line to avoid ahard debate in the parliament before it comes to a recess early December.

At Tuesday's meeting, former LDP Secretary General Kato Koichi raised his concern about the planned extension, saying the move made no sense as the SDF at present was not able to conduct rebuilding operations considering security situation and the invasion had lost justice for the failed search for the weapons of mass destruction, according to Kyodo.

Shizuka Kamei, the party's former policy maker, alerted Koizumiof the danger that Japan may come under terrorist attacks for his policy.

The largest opposition Democratic Party of Japan decided the same day to bring up a bill in the current parliament session to stop the extension.

Source: Xinhua