The first main group of Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) left Tuesday afternoon from GSDF's Hokkaido base for Iraq reconstruction mission. 

The 80-member group is scheduled to arrive Wednesday in Kuwait, where it will train for several days before traveling overland to the southern Iraqi city of Samawah, the base of the 550-strong GSDF mission. 

(Xinhua News Agency February 3, 2004)