Japan To Send First Officials To Afghanistan

TOKYO, January 9 (AFP)

Japan will send civilian officials to Afghanistan in the coming months to take part for the first time in NATO-backed reconstruction efforts, the foreign ministry said Friday.

Japan will dispatch two or three officials to one of NATO's provincial reconstruction teams led by Lithuania in Chaghcharan, the ministry said in a statement.

"It is important for Japan to perform a due role as a responsible member of the international community," it said.

Japan also will consider sending civilians to other reconstruction teams operating in Afghanistan if there are similar needs, the ministry added.