Japan in Iraq: Deploying Troops, Greasing Hands and Seeking Oil

The Japanese have paid tribal leaders near the southern Iraqi city of As Samawa a lump sum of 10 billion yen ($95 million) to provide security for Japanese forces that will soon be stationed there. Tokyo sees the "investment" as more than a simple bribe to ensure that Japanese soldiers are not shot, but rather as the first step toward resurrecting Japanese claims to Iraqi oil.