TOKYO- Newly disclosed daily reports by Japanese troops stationed on a U.N. peacekeeping mission in South Sudan showed that gunshots were still heard in September last year in their camp in the capital Juba.

A large-scale armed clash occurred in Juba in July last year. The Japanese government’s recent decision to pull out the Ground Self-Defense Force troops may have reflected the local situation in which security remained unstable for months after the clash.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Monday that his government started considering the possibility of the troop pullout in September.

The Defense Ministry on Monday released daily reports by the GSDF engineering troops for June 2 through Sept. 10 last year, totaling some 6,900 pages.

A report for Sept. 1 said five gunshots were heard at around 11:10 p.m. on Aug. 31 at least 300 meters northwest of the camp.

Calling attention to stray bullets in the nighttime, the report also noted there were two gunshots in the small hours of Sept. 1 at least one kilometer northwest of the camp.

A report for Sept. 10 showed the GSDF troops assumed scenarios such as a suspension of U.N.-led peacekeeping operations due to an escalating conflict in Juba and the restriction of their activities because of the conflict.

Abe announced a plan on Friday to end the deployment of the Japanese troops around the end of May. (Jiji Press)