although defense agency officials initially denied a report that the jsdf would be withdrawing from iraq, they eventually confirmed that the contingent would leave iraq by march 2006. officials, however, subsequently insisted that any withdrawal would hinge on the ability of the iraqis to form a new government by the end of 2006. a united iraqi government was established in may 2006, and koizumi subsequently announced that forces could be withdrawn as early as the end of july given the completion of the mission.