Jordan Times
Sunday, April 11, 2004
Japan envoy in Jordan to help
rescue Iraq hostages
By Alia Shukri Hamzeh
AMMAN — A senior Japanese official arrived here early Saturday to set up a task
force for the rescue of three Japanese civilians kidnapped by Iraqi militants
last week, embassy officials said.
Senior Vice Foreign Minister Ichiro Aisawa began collecting information about
the kidnapping circumstances of the aid workers and to help ensure their
release, Japanese Counsel Jun Yoshida said.
Yoshida told The Jordan Times that the envoy has set up an emergency task force
at the embassy to rescue Noriaki Imai, 18, Nahoko Takato, 34, and
photojournalist Soichiro Koriyama, 32.
Upon arrival, Aisawa said he would exert all possible efforts to ensure the safe
release of the three hostages, captured by an unknown group identifying itself
as the “Mujahedeen Brigades.”
The three were reportedly abducted on Tuesday as they were travelling from Amman
to Baghdad.
According to news reports, the three stayed at the Cliff Hotel and charted an
orange vehicle with an Iraqi driver Tuesday evening. The driver has not been
seen since.
Al Jazeera satellite network on Thursday aired footage of the three hostages
tied up and blindfolded, as their masked kidnappers held guns and knives to
their heads and throats. The abductors threatened to kill the three if the 550
Japanese troops based in Iraq do not leave the war-torn country by noon Sunday.
Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi insisted his country would not succumb
to the threats and pull out its troops. The Japanese government came under
public fire for fear the military forces would engage in warfare in the occupied
country.
More Japanese troops are expected to be deployed to Iraq by the end of this
year, reaching 1,100.
Earlier Saturday, hundreds of protesters demonstrated outside Koizumi's office
demanding troop withdrawal. Aisawa, who met with Labour Minister and acting
Foreign Minister Amjad Majali yesterday, refused to talk to journalists about
the progress of his mission. He, however, briefed Japanese reporters following
his meeting with Majali. According to the Kyodo news agency, Aisawa said the
rescue team had obtained some information about the kidnappers and the condition
of the hostages.
But Yoshida said there was no concrete information as yet. Other sources
explained that Aisawa's team was trying to track down the taxi driver who took
the three to Baghdad.
Following his meeting with Majali, Aisawa said Japan was determined to pursue
its reconstruction efforts in Iraq as well as provide humanitarian assistance to
its people, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, said.
He insisted that the Japanese forces' role in Iraq was purely humanitarian.
Japanese ground troops stationed in southern Iraq are charged with helping
purify water and rebuild schools there.
'Abductees to be released'
DOHA (AFP) — The abductors of three Japanese nationals in Iraq have decided to
free their hostages within 24 hours in response to an appeal from Muslim
clerics, Al Jazeera satellite TV reported Saturday night.
"The armed men who kidnapped three Japanese in Iraq have decided to release them
within 24 hours," it said.
"A statement issued by the so-called 'Mujahedeen Brigades' said that they
responded to a request from the Council of Muslim Ulema in Iraq" to free the
trio, Al Jazeera added.
The statement urged the Japanese people to put pressure on their government to
withdraw its troops from Iraq, according to the news channel.