The decision came after an early morning cabinet meeting Friday. Two C-130 transport planes and about 150 personnel of the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) will carry out operations mainly between Jordan's Amman and Italy where international institutions have setup bases to gather aid supplies, Kyodo quoted government sources as saying.

The transport operations are expected to center on humanitarian aid goods such as medicines and tents as well as equipment and supplies to be used by relief workers of nongovernmental organizations and international institutions, Kyodo said.

The mission is scheduled to last for three months.

The Japanese government plans to expand the transport mission into Iraq as early as October if the lower house passes a bill concerned Friday.

(Xinhua News Agency July 4, 2003)