Abe urges early passage of Iraq bill

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called Tuesday for early passage of a government-proposed bill aimed at extending for two years the deployment of Japanese air troops in the Persian Gulf to provide airlift support for U.N. and multinational forces operating in Iraq.

"Iraq's stability and reconstruction are an important theme for the entire international community and directly linked with Japan's national interests," Abe said at the day's plenary session of the House of Representatives as the lower chamber launched debate on both the government bill and an opposition-sponsored bill designed to terminate Japan's airlift support activities in Iraq.