Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on Tuesday gave his strong support to the US offensive on Fallujah.

"The all-out attack must be successful. The improvement of security is the key for Iraq's reconstruction," he said.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroyuki Hosoda told reporters that theJapanese government understands the US strike against Iraqi militants.

"We understand the various measures taken by the US government"against the events "that were great barriers to the establishment of a new government," the top spokesman said.

Defense Agency Director General Yoshinori Ono commented that security must be restored to prevent Iraq from becoming a hotbed for terrorism, adding that was the "first step to build a new country."

US forces, backed by Iraqi troops, kicked off an all-out offensive on Iraq's rebel-held city of Fallujah Monday evening just after Iraq's interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi signaled the green light to US-Iraqi forces to neutralize insurgents in the city.

Japan, the staunchest ally of the United States, sent more than500 ground troops to the southern city of Samawah to support the US-led rebuilding.

Source: Xinhua