On January 19, 2004 (December 28, 2003 in the lunar calendar), the Japanese Self-Defense Forces began to be stationed in Iraq. Japan supported the United States in launching the Iraq war. In 2003, Koizumi's government approved the sending of about 550 ground troops to Iraq. In January 2004, it began to send the Ground Self-Defense Force to southern Iraq to engage in humanitarian relief missions. This is Japan's first major overseas military mission since World War II.