Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari urged Japan on Friday to keep its troops in southern Iraq, saying an early pullout of coalition forces would lead to more violence by insurgents. Zebari said his war-torn country had made progress on improving security, but added it faced a crucial period ahead of the December 15 parliamentary election. “The difficult part has gone in my view. We’re very close to reaching a more stable form of government and of security,” Zebari told a news conference following a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.Full Story