Visiting Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari expressed confidence Friday that his war-torn nation will be able to cope with security after US forces pull out of its cities later this month. 'The Iraqi government and the Iraqi security forces are confident and capable of taking over (their) full responsibility after the withdraw of American forces,' he told reporters. The United States, which invaded the country in 2003, plans to withdraw its combat forces from all Iraqi urban areas by June 30 and move them to bases on the outskirts of cities. Zebari, who was visiting Tokyo after Japan and Iraq in January signed an accord aimed at strengthening economic and energy ties, said his country was now safe enough for larger Japanese investment. 'Now we are far more confident and hopeful about the future of Iraq,' Zebari said. 'We believe, with the improved security, with the improved self-confidence about the future of this country, there are ample opportunities for investment, for business people to start moving to the Iraqi market.' Zebari met with his Japanese counterpart Hirofumi Nakasone late Thursday when both pledged to 'increase bilateral cooperation in the energy field such as oil and gas,' according to a joint statement. Resource-poor Japan is Iraq's second largest donor after the United States. Japan sent troops to Iraq on a reconstruction mission, which ended in 2006 without Japanese troops firing a shot, in the first time since 1945 Tokyo had sent forces to a country where fighting was under way. Japan, which has been officially pacifist since World War II, in December also ended an air mission flying goods and people into Iraq on behalf of the US-led coalition and the United Nations. 