TOKYO, May 20 -- Japan may pull out its ground troops from Iraq as early as in June, though its air forces will continue missions in the region, local media reported Saturday.

Japan started on Saturday negotiations over troops withdrawal with the United States, Britain and Australia and the pullout from Iraq may start in the middle of June, the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper said, citing government sources.

The pullout of Japan's Ground Self-Defense Forces (GSDF) from Iraq needs 30 to 45 days and the troops will withdraw to Kuwait by the end of July at the earliest, before eventually returning to Japan, the paper's evening edition said.

However, Japan's Kuwait-based Air Self-Defense Forces (ASDF) will continue transportation missions around the region and assist the transfer of U.N. personnel and supplies in Iraq even after the completion of ground troops withdrawal.

According to the report, a multinational committee has been formed in Iraq to deal with the shift of authority to its new national unity government. The southern Iraqi city Samawah, where some 600 Japanese troops are stationed, is among the earliest regions to complete the shift, as decided by the committee.

Japan has stationed the ground troops in Samawah for a non-combat reconstruction mission since early 2004. The Japanese government has repeatedly said that Japan would have to carefully consider the situation in Iraq before deciding on a troop pullout.