Howard said he continued to believe the Iraqi regime under Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction (WMD) before the US-led invasion -- and that those weapons would be found.

"Those who assess intelligence for the (Australian) government presented a strong case in relation to WMD capability," he said at a press conference following talks with his Japanese counterpart, Junichiro Koizumi.

"Those who are suggesting none will be found I think are reaching premature conclusions. I remain of the view that it will be found."

Australia contributed some 2,000 troops and three ships to the US-led invasion force.

Howard has been criticized for the contribution after US Central Intelligence Agency director George Tenet last week backed down from a British claim that Iraq had tried to buy nuclear material from Niger.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair has also come under fire since May when the BBC first aired claims that a Downing Street dossier on Iraq last February had been "sexed up", especially a claim Saddam Hussein had the ability to deploy chemical or biological weapons in as little as 45 minutes.

Howard has said even if Australia had known Iraq had not sought to buy uranium from Niger, it would have made no difference to its decision to go to war as this was only a tiny element in the decision.

The prime minister maintained that stand Wednesday.

"Our view is that the involvement in the war against Iraq was justified on the basis of international law," Howard said. "The legal justification was the failure of Iraq to comply with quite a number of (UN) Security Council resolutions."

Howard also thanked Koizumi for his support for the war at a time when most Japanese opposed it. "This was not an easy decision for him domestically, and I respect very much the leadership that he showed on that matter," Howard said.

Howard is on a three-nation tour that has already taken him to the Philippines. He is due to travel to South Korea next.

WAR.WIRE