Former Japanese Iraq hostages criticise media, Govt

Two Japanese held hostage in Iraq earlier this month criticised domestic media on Tuesday for echoing a government stance that blamed the captives and their families for putting Japan's military mission in Iraq at risk.

The two were among five Japanese civilians taken captive by Iraqi militants, who threatened to kill the other three unless Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi pulled Japan's 550 ground troops out of Iraq, where they are engaged in reconstruction.

Nobutaka Watanabe, 36, a former member of Japan's military with ties to a civil rights group, and freelance photographer Jumpei Yasuda, 30, told a news conference that the Japanese media had followed the government's cue by blaming the hostages and their families for becoming victims of the kidnappers.

"There is a tendency in Japan's media and all of Japanese society to go along with the government," Watanabe said.

The hostage crisis was Koizumi's biggest challenge since he took office in April 2001, and an unhappy ending could have rocked his government.

Ruling party politicians and officials had quickly taken the hostages to task, insisting they take "personal responsibility" for their acts.

Weekly magazines and some mainstream media also leapt into the debate, with one tabloid even suggesting the first three hostages had staged their kidnapping -- seen in a video aired on nationwide television -- to force Koizumi to recall the troops.

Japan was shocked by the video of those three hostages, who were taken captive separately from the other two, being threatened with guns and knives.

But by the time the first three -- Noriaki Imai, 18, aid worker Nahoko Takato, 34, and freelance journalist Soichiro Koriyama, 32 -- returned, they were acting more like criminals than victims, bowing deeply before cameras and apologising repeatedly.

Early in the crisis those three hostages' families presented the government a petition with 150,000 signatures urging it to bring home the troops if that was the only way to save their loved ones -- another reason they came under fire.

"I understand 'personal responsibility', but the way that the Japanese apparently are using it, it means not just individual personal responsibility, but being responsible for members of your family," said Yasuda, referring to the way the hostages' relatives also came under fire.

The government has asked the original three to pay back 2,370,000 yen ($NZ35,204) spent on flying them home and on Monday ruling party lawmaker Takeaki Kashimura, 60, accused them of being "anti-Japan elements as they are against government policies".

Watanabe said he would be happy to accept that label.

"I know that some politicians have said 'you are against Japan'...but I would like to say 'Yes, I am against Japan and thank you for recognising my opinions'," he said.

- REUTERS

Herald Feature: Iraq