Ukraine drones hit St Petersburg oil terminal as Russia's SPIEF investment forum kicks off
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Toshimitsu Motegi, the Japanese Foreign Minister, announced on March 6 that two citizens of Japan are presently in Iranian custody, Kyodo Times reports.
The Japanese administration has demanded the immediate release of its nationals. Motegi stressed that the government remains committed to assisting the families and relevant organisations involved while maintaining direct channels of communication with those being held.
The situation highlights the precarious nature of international journalism and diplomacy within the Middle East, particularly as rising geopolitical tensions put foreign nationals at increased risk of becoming political leverage.
During a legislative assembly, Motegi clarified that officials have established contact with both captives and verified their physical wellbeing. These developments follow an initial report by the Japan Times on February 25, which first disclosed the incarceration of a Japanese national.
According to the Japan Times, secondary reports from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty have identified one captive as Shinnosuke Kawashima, the Tehran bureau lead for the public broadcaster NHK. Anonymous sources cited in those reports indicate that Kawashima was apprehended on January 20 and subsequently moved to the Evin detention centre.
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