A headless body found Saturday in Baghdad has been confirmed as that of Japanese hostage Shosei Koda, Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura said Sunday. "It is to our great sorrow that after putting all our efforts into securing his prompt release he has become a victim of terrorism," Machimura said. | A radio report said his body was found wrapped in the American flag. |
He told a press conference the confirmation was through match of fingerprint and other physical characteristics. Machimura described the killing as "unforgivable" and vowed Japan "will firmly go on with the war on terror along with the international community." Besides Koda, four Japanese had been killed in Iraq by unidentified gunmen in two assaults, two of them were diplomats and the rest were journalists. Despite the killing, the possibility remains low for Japan to withdraw troops, considering its repeated hard-line assertions on the issue. There are about 500 ground troops posted in the southern city of Samawah on a rebuilding mission. They are scheduled to return at year end, but the government reportedly is mulling on extending the operation by around another one year.
photos of Islamic jihad cult ritual victim, Shosei Koda, prior to being taken hostage by terrorists |