It has sometimes been difficult to get a very clear picture of what the GSDF is actually doing in Samawa due to the scarcity of reports that are available the the public. However, in late June the Asahi Shinbun ran a five-part story in their evening edition focused on the daily experience of the Japanese soldiers. It is a lengthy piece, but includes many interesting episodes. The Shingetsu Institute has translated these articles into English, and they are now presented here in full.

THE SDF IN IRAQ: PART ONE

Alert to Attacks: Sleepless at Night, Feeling Relaxed in the Morning

Attacks on the SDF: The attacks on the SDF in Iraq, like trench mortars or rocket attacks, have happened nine times from last April to this January. Of these, the two which happened last October struck the SDF camp. The attacks have taken place mainly at midnight and at daybreak, and there was a time when three shellings occured in a single day. The suspects haven’t been caught.

They say they saw cloud of sand, and fragments of stones hit the windshield when the explosion occured at the side of a road.

It was the 23rd and the first time that a GSDF vehicle was struck by a bomb when they were working on humanitarian aid in Samawa, Iraq. According to regulations, they are supposed to proceed in the the opposite direction when they hear the sound of bombs, and leave the site quickly. The sixth dispatched unit has had many exercises preparing for such situations. The inhabitants near the site watched the attacked vehicle drive away snaking its way to and fro. The bomb that exploded seems to have been a less lethal bomb which was just buried in the ground with lots of stones on the surface. However, it is a fact that there might have been other bombs there. What would have happened to them if the bomb had been more dangerous or had been a rocket attack which could penetrate the shields?

On last August 10th, the arrayed men in camouflage fatigues burst into tears here and there when the second dispatched unit from Hokkaido supervised a morning meeting.

“Your luck depends upon your commander. I’m a man of luck. I’m sure everyone here can return to Japan without mishap.”

The briefing of the commander, Yuki Imamura (46) served to relax tense souls. Three blasts had struck near the camp at the daybreak of that day, and they didn’t have a good sleep. Commander Imamura finished his speech by saying: “Don’t worry,” as he held back his own tears.

In central Iraq, the Shia militia and the U.S. army were fighting, and an increasing number of casualties were being reported. Attacks at the camp took place only four times last August. More than one hundred guards led by Captain Yasuo Shimomura (37) of the second dispatched unit were in charge of keeping security.

A “dot-sight” scope was attached to a rifle and a security catch was added to the right side so that they could release it immediately. The bulletproof vest, helmet, and rifles which they had to wear everyday weighed about 20 kg. Shimomura, who seldom smiles, talked to a commander with a smile when he arrived at the U.S. camp in Kuwait after three months of duty: “I’d never worn such a heavy outfit.”

Captain Isema Sakano from the fourth dispatched unit from Yamagata was assigned to guard outside the camp. In this duty he had to carefully watch vehicles in front and behind, and to observe what was happening at the roadside. He also had to report the situation to other members and the head office using his radio, always keeping his alertness intact.

Just before the Iraqi election of January, he had transportation duty to the border of Kuwait and Iraq. It took about seven hours one way. Arriving at the destination, he made contact with the camp in Samawa, and learned that a civilian vehicle had just been struck by a rocket attack on the road that he had just traveled. He remembers the reassuring voice of Kizuku Fukuda.

Mr. Fukuda had made it a practice to watch videos for five or ten minutes before going to bed. His family’s messages were recorded when he was to about to leave Japan. He had about fifty videos with such messages.

“I always felt I needed to be careful and assure my own safety when I saw my kids say ‘Go for it, dad!’ on video.”

After each peaceful day, he circled the date on his calendar. He was always did it after breakfast because the night was the most crucial period for security. Making circles on his calendar became a small point of happiness for him

In July, it will have been a year and a half since the SDF started operations in Iraq last January. So far, 3,300 people have been dispatched, the largest number in an overseas operation ever. On 23rd, we learned that some may have been injured outside the camp. I asked the dispatched SDF members what they had gone through and what they had thought while they were there.

THE SDF IN IRAQ: PART TWO

Water Supply Activities: Improved Skill that Japan is Proud of

Water Supply Activities: The SDF supplied people in al-Muthanna with 54,000 tons of water for eleven months, purified using nine purifying machines in the camp. Since this February, Iraqis themselves have been using those purifying machines.

The SDF working in Samawa, southern Iraq, start their operations at 6 am with the wake up sound of a bugle.

“Oops, it’s frozen.”

That morning, Second Lieutenant Naoki Yamada (30) of the fourth dispatched unit from Yamagata was surprised when he turned on a tap. Water wasn’t running. He quickly rushed to the nine purifying machines. The component called a ‘reverse membrane’ won’t work if it’s frozen. During an inspection, it turned out that the devices were all right, having been kept warm in a tent. However, the rubber hose connected with a tank outside was exposed to the air. When he pushed it, it sounded like a mix of water and ice.

On December 18th last year, the lowest temperature of Iraq was -3.9 degrees, which was almost the same as that of Yamagata. It had become unexpectedly cold. At the gate of the camp, water trucks were waiting in line to receive water. They had to keep the operation going. There could be no day of rest. The unit captain Kizuku Fukuda was in a bind.

“Can’t we extend the distribution time?”

“Just manage it somehow.”

The SDF members in the camp had a hectic day. They boiled lots of water in the kitchen, twenty members shuttled between the room, the machines, and the hose. After hours of strenuous efforts, the morning distribution began without any trouble, though it was a little delayed.

Since the 1992 dispatch to Cambodia, water supply activities have been one of the overseas operations that Japan can be proud of. However, it is limited to what the six hundred members can do. The population of al-Muthanna is about 500,000. It is estimated that the amount of water supplied by three old plants came short of what people needed by about 20,000 tons a day. The SDF was asked to make up the deficit, and they started with twenty tons of water per day last March. Two months later, Second Lieutenant Eiji Yamashita (52) of second unit from Hokkaido, who was a leader of the water supply activities, made efforts to improve their skills.

Day-time temperature is nearly sixty degrees. In order to lessen the burden on the machines, they used them at night and worked as long as possible. In addition, they connected large-size tanks so that the pumped water and purified water could run smoothly. Three month later, they became able to supply 500 tons of water per day. He lost 8 kg after a hard work under a sultry sun.

Third Lieutenant Taketo Fukuoka (35), who came to Samawa in July, was assigned for a joint duty with Foreign Ministry in which he was involved in the maintenance of water pipe lines and offered water distribution tanks to ease the water shortage. He had had experience in Kobe as a water distribution man. He maintained 15 km of water pipe lines near Samawa together with a local company, and installed 304 distribution tanks after a discussion with local councils.

He sometimes went to places that were two hundred km distant from Samawa. The trouble was not the hardship of the work but rampant “robbery.” After they installed water pipes in the ground, somebody would dig in the ground and drill a hole in a pipe and take away water. Pipes were broken five times just before the completion of pipe lines, and every time it happened, they had to call local influential people or police for countermeasures.

“Water can’t be replaced by anything. Some people couldn’t help but steal. I tried to think that way.”

Large-scale purifying plants stated running on February 5th, and they finished their water distribution actiivities.

“I felt happy, but at the same time I thought I’m going to miss it.”

At 8:08 am, Second Lieutenant Yamada of the fourth dispatched unit was at the site of new plants and took a picture of Iraqis who were pumping water on their own. That picture is his best memory of the expedition.

THE SDF IN IRAQ: PART THREE

External Adjustments: Seeking a Point of Contact for Reconstruction

Restoring Facilities: The dispatched SDF have restored 53 buildings and other facilities as of this July, including 22 roads (total length: 51 km), 15 schools, and 8 medical institutions. In these operations, they have hired about 220,000 Iraqi laborers in total.

Unlike PKO where the UN adjusts the schedule with local governments or participating nations, the SDF had to deal with everything on their own, ranging from keeping security to negotiation with locals. Members used their heads and sought solutions for themselves.

The GSDF camp is located in the middle of the desert in Samawa, Iraq. First Lieutenant Tsukasa Sasaki (33) was standing at the gate everyday with an interpreter. Last February, he was assigned to negotiate with the Netherlands force at the Samawa office of the CPA (Coalition Provisional Authority). Right after his assignment, Iraqis began visiting the office looking for jobs or assistance. Dealing with these people was part of his job.

Some complained about their standard of living. Some advertised themselves and asked for jobs. There was a parent and a child who asked for medical treatment. When he wrote down their message, saying, “I’ll give your request to my boss,” and then took a picture of them, they left the office with a smile.

After the dissolution of the CPA last June, people came directly to visit the camp. At that time, he seemed to be “the captain of the gate.” At 7 am, in front of the people waiting in line, the SDF started their operations with the greeting of “sabah al-khair (Good morning).” They worked until 5 pm. Although they wore bulletproof vests under the flaming sun, he was always worried: “If a vehicle bomb plunges into us, we’re going to die.”

As an instructor of communication technology, he was supposed to teach many people, but he focused on the first “point of contact” between Iraq and Japan.

“We just did the same thing that we are doing in Japan. I guess they welcomed us because we welcomed them.”

He had recorded about two hundred names in five months.

The dispatched SDF has members for “external adjustment.” Their duties are communicating with Iraqi society and planning reconstruction aid. First Lieutenant Keiko Oya (33) who came into Iraq this March, was one of these members. She was in charge of interpretation in an information section before she was dispatched to Iraq. She had an opportunity to hear from a feminist group in Samawa. She received a request: “We want a computer school with assistance from Japan.”

When she asked how they were going to run the school, they said, “We can rely only on donations.” When she pointed out their lack of foresight, they said, “We’ll make dolls and make money, so please give us sowing machines.”

“They don’t have knowledge and experience about collecting information and planning for management. I had difficulty in bringing out their sense of self-help.” She had worked as a counselor for three month while she was bewildered by the differences in their sense of values.

Second Lieutenant Koichi Arie (43) left the camp and worked as a communicator from last February to this July in the multinational headquarters in Basra, which controls the southeast of Iraq. He was an instructor who taught strategies to executive officers. This was the first experience for him to work with officers of a foreign military. He walked around the headquarters office, collected information, and delivered it right away. It was also his job to explain Japan’s reaction and position on various matters.

The British Army praised us saying, “You’re going make history.”

We should note that the SDF is working in the same areas as the multinational force, but not under their command. Since the SDF was in such a complex position, members weren’t sure what to do at first. They weren’t sure where they could get beds and desks, or where they get information.

“Considering that we represent Japan, easy decisions or remarks were not allowed. I always felt pressure.”

At the end of July, when his departure date was coming close, he woke up at 4 am and strolled inside the headquarters office, for he wanted to see the sun rise. Then he bumped into a lieutenant colonel from Romania that he knew.

“I’m looking forward to coming home, but at the same time, I don’t feel like leaving here.”

“I had lots of experience here, so I feel the same way.”

They talked freely and easily, waiting for the rising sun.

Mr. Arie isn’t sure how the dispatch to Iraq will be evaluated. He just thinks, “We’ll never forget the fact that we shared this burden with the Western armies.”

THE SDF IN IRAQ: PART FOUR

Inside the Camp: No Smoking on Ramadan

Dispatched members: The total number of members of the SDF who have been dispatched is about three thousand. They come from Hokkaido, Tohoku, and Chubu, including the sixth dispatched unit now on duty. Of them, about fifty have been female. Many of them work as nurses, but there are also female members who maintain roads or are in charge of supplies.

Many of the dispatched members in Iraq engage in support of SDF operations behind the scenes and never step outside the camp before coming back home. Nevertheless, they do have some contact with locals.

Mitsunori Samejima (47) of second unit from Hokkaido still remembers Mr. Hassan (35), whom he had worked with for three months, and his son, Akhir (15). He was in charge of the commissariat, providing for the basic needs of the SDF. His daily routine included moving many containers which were brought into the camp one after another, employing local firms. Quite a few firms couldn’t be reached by telephone, and they weren’t punctual.

“If I thought that we’re helping them, I couldn’t stand them. But if I thought that we’re just working with them, it wasn’t such a big deal and I could have a good feeling.”

There were three crane companies, but they had repeated accidents like tires coming off. Only Mr. Hassan’s products were fine, and he totally counted on him. When his trailer brought containers, Akhir climbed the containers and hitched wires around them. His father then manipulated the trailer and lifted the trailers. They looked like efficient Japanese craftsmen.

Last August, when Mr. Samejima’s departure date was coming close, Mr. Hassan put his big hand out and said “Same, shukran. (thank you),” with tears in his eyes. Looking at his tears, Mr. Samejima also shed tears. They were both sorry about their separation.

During Ramadan, one month a year, Muslims fast during the daytime. Second Lieutenant Kazusa Hihara (29) from Sendai experienced this custom last October. He took care of about fifty Iraqi interpreters, and he only worked with Iraqis. He usually smokes dozens of cigars a day. During Ramadan however, he didn’t have even a drop of water, let alone a cigar. Local people who visited the camp were surprised. When he was asked, “Why do you fast? You’re not a Muslim,” he answered, “I just can’t ignore the custom.”

When Ramadan was over, he received presents of cakes, juice, and 10 dozen cigars from the interpreters whom he’d worked with.

Around the same time, Third Lieutenant Takeshi Fujioka (37) was in charge of environmental maintenance around the camp. Although he wasn’t good at English or Arabic, he was liked by the dealers who visited the camp. A president of the company that was contracted to build fences liked him, and he was even asked by the president “Would you want my daughter for your wife?” At work, he used his fingers to show the number of trucks that were needed, and to show time, he drew a picture of a clock.

“Even if you don’t know their language, you cannot escape. You can manage such situations by speaking Japanese like “so ka, so ka (Is that right? Is that right?).”

Looking at the eyes while you speak to someone, greeting and shaking hands when you meet someone, these are Fujioka’s secrets to receiving popularity.

“If they work with only inward-looking people everyday, their morale might be lowered.”

Captain Goro Matsumura (46) from the third dispatched unit gave as many members as possible the opportunity of going outside the camp. As one of the opportunities, he recruited applicants to visit elementary schools. They visited schools in the vicinity of Samawa, and read picture books to children.

Corporal Yoshinori Mikami (28) from Hachinohe had the job of maintenance of roads. Last October, he joined a visit to a school. He told the children the folk tale of Tohoku that features Yamanba. Another member translated the story into English, and an Iraqi interpreter told the story in Arabic.

“It seemed like the kids were fascinated by the scene which Yamanba appears with Japanese sound effects of ‘hyu dolo dolo.’ Like speaking to Japanese children, we can deliver the story sufficiently in Japanese.”

When he recalls it, he can’t stop smiling.

THE SDF IN IRAQ: PART FIVE

Mental Relaxation: Hometown Festivals; Voice of the DJs

Cultural Exchange in Samawa: The dispatched unit is doing cultural exchange with people in Iraq through hometown festivals and music. The first dispatched unit had a five-piece band, and they played music in schools, etc. The second and later dispatched units hold cultural events where they introduce Japanese culture through music and festivals.

The SDF members have to live tensely in a place far from Japan. They care about each other, and manage to relax sometimes.

Takafumi Yoshikawa (34) from Nayoro, Hokkaido, is the best trumpet player. He was told, “We really want you to come here” by Commander Koichiro Bansho (47) of the first dispatched unit, and he brought a signal bugle and a trumpet.

Mr. Bansho thought, “Music enhances order.”

Mr. Yoshikawa was in charge of the wake-up bugle at 6 am, the bugle for displaying and lowering the national flag, and lights out. He played his bugle at elementary schools in Samawa. When Western forces visited the camp, he played the national anthem of each country.

He had a trumpet for evening meetings. He had a daily routine of playing one tune a day, accepting requests from members. Around the time when the stars shined in the dark sky, melodies started to sound in the air of the silent camp: “Kita no Kuni kara (From the Regions of the North),” “Miagetegoran Yoru no Hoshi o (Look at Stars of the Night),” “Nada So So (Can’t Hold Back Tears),” and others. He played about one hundred tunes during the dispatch.

“You made me cry again, man. Thanks.” His colleagues often tapped him on the shoulder after meetings.

The fourth dispatched unit celebrated the New Year in Iraq. Male members were surprised by the female members who came to exchange New Year’s greetings. Five of them were wearing kimonos. First Lieutenant Mariko Abe, who is a nurse at an SDF hospital in Sendai, and senior to other members, together with Second Lieutenant Yuki Uno (32), Second Lieutenant Hiroko Shoji (26), and others, were wearing kimonos. They also wore kimonos for cultural exchange with the Netherlands or British Army.

“Since we usually wear battle dresses or jersey clothes, we were also happy.” Ms. Uno answered about her memory.

One unit made a “festival team” including forty members, and they introduced festivals of Aomori (Nebuta) and Akita (Kanto) to Samawa. Kazuo Noro (45) of the third dispatched unit from Aomori was one of the leading members of the team. He cares for his hometown and formed a Japanese dance and music group, whose members were mainly people who had had experience before. They practiced over and over again.

“Rasse-ra, Rasse-ra” [people shout this way in a Tohoku festival]. Last September, they invited 150 kids to a gymnasium in Samawa. They immediately joined a circle of dancing members who were in yukatas and old-style Japanese sunshades.

“Festivals are part of Japanese culture. Not only did we build a closer relationship between the Iraqis and ourselves, but the members who had the same hometown got to know each other.”

The members look forward to the program “Samawa Broadcasting,” which is aired at dinner time. It is a thirty-minute DJ program using a radio device in the camp. Members took turns talking as the DJ, airing requested tunes, and making funny stories about the members, as if it had been midnight radio show.

Yusako Tanaka (34), the doctor of the third dispatched unit, and Mayumi Amauchi, a second lieutenant nurse from the same unit, were DJs one Friday. The program name was “Tanaka Radio.” Mr. Tanaka had joined PKO operations in the Golan Heights. This was his second operation in a foreign country.

The content of the show last November 12th, when his departure date was coming close, was a little different from the usual ones. Mr. Tanaka himself requested the tune of Masashi Sada. The title was, “A Lion Standing in the Wind,” in which Masashi Sada sang about a doctor trying to cure diseases in Kenya.

He calmly talked about why he decided to become a doctor. When he was a second-year high school student, he wanted to learn aeronautical engineering. Then he broke his leg and went to the hospital. He listened to the radio, and heard this song on it. It made him interested in the medical profession.

It was his pleasure to air the tune himself because he wanted the members to recall their own enthusiasms, and why they were working in Iraq.