"The increase of troops reflects the strong U.S. commitment to the stabilization and reconstruction of Iraq," Abe said, commenting on Bush's State of the Union address Tuesday. "Japan too will fulfill its responsibility so that Iraq can recover as soon as possible."

Earlier in the day, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki praised Bush's speech saying it shows Washington's determination to cooperate with the international community in tackling various issues the world faces, especially regarding stability in the Middle East as well as the North Korean and Iranian nuclear issues.

The top government spokesman also said Bush's announcement of policies to cut fuel oil consumption deserves praise from both the viewpoint of energy security and environmental concerns.

Meanwhile, Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma the same day criticized Bush for having made "the wrong decision" when he started the war in Iraq on the assumption that the country had weapons of mass destruction.

Japan has been one of the staunchest supporters of the United States, its closest ally, in its war on Iraq. Abe's predecessor, Junichiro Koizumi, tested the limits of Japan's pacifist Constitution by dispatching ground and air troops to Iraq on an aid mission.

In his annual address before a joint session of Congress, Bush called for support for his plan for more U.S. troops in Iraq and for resolving the North Korean nuclear issue through six-party talks, which involve North and South Korea, China, Japan, Russia and the United States.