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Visit to Japan by the Members of Iraq's National Team for the Arab Games

August 30, 2004

  1. As a part of the assistance for Iraq's participation in international games, the Government of Japan will invite, from September 1 (Wednesday) to September 15 (Wednesday), eight members of the Iraqi national team who will participate in judo and track and field events at the Arab Games. The Arab Games will be held in the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria in late September 2004.

  2. The team will undergo an intensive training and preparation for the Arab Games in cooperation with the All Japan Judo Federation and Japan Association of Athletics Federations (JAAF). During its stay in Japan, the team is scheduled to pay courtesy calls on Mr. Isao Matsumiya, Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Toshitsugu Saito, Chairman of the Special Committee on Prevention of International Terrorism and Japan's Cooperation and Support; Humanitarian Assistance for Reconstruction in Iraq of the House of Representatives, and Mr. Toyoaki Ota, Chairman of the Special Committee on Humanitarian Reconstruction Support for Iraq and Responses to Armed Attacks of the House of Councillors. After completing the training, the group will move to Jordan and join the main Iraqi national team.

  3. The invitation is expected to promote friendly relations with Iraq and understanding of Japan on the part of the Iraqis through exchanges in the field of sports. Furthermore, the successes of the Iraqi national team are expected to strengthen the hopes and solidarity of the people of Iraq toward the reconstruction of their country.

(Reference)

  1. In April this year, the Government of Japan, Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) and National Olympic Committee of Iraq (NOCI) agreed that Japan would host the training of Iraqi athletes with a view to assisting Iraq in the promotion of sports activities and in participation in international games including the Athens Olympics. Based on the agreement, this invitation has been extended as part of Japan's sports exchange assistance programs for FY2004.

  2. Prior to this invitation, the Government of Japan invited two members of the Iraqi national judo team for the Athens Olympics to Japan from July 25 to August 7, 2004 based on the agreement. The team underwent an intensive training and preparation. These two members are scheduled to revisit Japan through this invitation.
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