TOKYO - Japan, one of Washington's closest allies, hopes the death of Al-Qaeda's chief in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, will help improve security in the war-torn nation, a senior official said Thursday.
"I hope (his death) can help in improving the security in Iraq given that al-Zarqawi has been a symbolic presence for foreign terrorists in Iraq," Senior Vice Foreign Minister Katsutoshi Kaneda said, quoted by Kyodo News.
The development was the "result of efforts by the Iraqi government to strengthen its security forces and wipe out armed insurgents," he added.
Japan has sent some 600 troops to Iraq on its first deployment since World War II to a country where fighting is under way.
06/08/2006 09:58 GMT