Japan dispatches business mission to Iraq

TOKYO, Feb. 7 Kyodo - A Japanese mission consisting of corporate and government representatives visited Baghdad on Monday to seek investment opportunities in Iraq such as infrastructure building projects, Japanese government officials said.
The mission headed by Mitsuo Sakaba, ambassador in charge of reconstruction assistance to Iraq, is scheduled to pay courtesy calls on Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and Deputy Prime Minister Hussain Al-Shahristani, and exchange views with senior Iraqi officials during a one-day stay in the capital, they said.
The members of the mission consist of 10 Japanese companies, including trading houses Mitsubishi Corp., Marubeni Corp., Itochu Corp., Sumitomo Corp. and Mitsui & Co., as well the government-linked Japan International Cooperation Agency and the Japan External Trade Organization.
The dispatch of the business mission is intended to follow up on a trip to Iraq by former Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Akihiro Ohata in January. Ohata now serves as transport minister.
During Ohata's trip, the two countries agreed to reinforce cooperation in oil development and start preparations for a feasibility study on the construction of a large-scale power station in Iraq.
Japan last dispatched a similar business mission to the war-torn country in March 2009.