the japanese iraq reconstruction and support group or also known as the refers to a battalion-sized, largely humanitarian contingent of the japan self-defense forces that was sent to samawah, southern iraq in early january 2004 and withdrawn by late july 2006. however, the last jasdf forces left kuwait on december 18, 2008. approximately 5,500 japanese ground self-defense force members were present in samawah between 2004 and 2006.