Every country that has sent troops to aid America's efforts in Iraq is under pressure, as the decision by the Philippines to withdraw its small contingent shows. But for Japan, the question of whether to continue to aid in Iraq's reconstruction extends beyond the merits of this particular policy and goes to the heart of Japanese notions of security and what constitutes the national interest.
每一个派兵前往伊拉克以支持美国的国家其实都是迫于压力，这从菲律宾决定从伊拉克撤军上就可见一斑。但对日本来说，是否继续支持伊拉克重建已经不仅仅是这一特殊政策能带来多少好处，而是它关系到日本人的安全理念，以及什么才是日本国的利益。